Someday
by Mauveine
Summary: Danny has to believe that someday he will find love, someday his pain will go away, and someday he won't be so lonely. Slightly AU - I will be incorporating some of what has happened during the fifth season, but obviously not all of it. Danny/OC
1. Chapter 1

Danny walked slowly from the subway to his apartment. He was in no rush, his head filled with thoughts of where his life was going. He knew that he was pushing those in his life away. He was on a self-destructive path and didn't know how he was going to get through it. He knew that his life appeared to be good on the outside. He had been his normal self at work, pushing away the thoughts of Ruben to the back of his mind, knowing that he couldn't let it affect him the way it had been. It was this reason that he had turned to Rikki; she knew his pain. She knew the mind numbing pain of loss. His may have been mostly guilt, but together they had tried to cure one another. They had tried to take it all away and make it better. It hadn't worked.

The rain was starting to fall softly and his thoughts strayed to Lindsay. Yes, he definitely understood walking in the rain more than she thought he did. He viewed it as a way to cleanse your soul, but tonight that wasn't going to happen. Tonight his soul was crying, screaming for someone to come and take it all away. He was waiting for a miracle. He knew that people thought he had the world at his hands. He was attractive, smart, and dependable. He would be there for any one of them if they needed him. Yet he had to ask who was going to be there to catch him? Who was going to make everything okay again? He had lost so much in his life. His family lived a separate life from his and he knew that he wouldn't be able to ever fit back in with them. Their ties with the mob and the Tanglewood Boys were too deep. His brother Louie had paid the ultimate price for him; sacrificing himself for the truth in order to save Danny. His thoughts progressed to the next person he had lost, Aiden. His breath hitched as he closed his eyes, tilting his face towards the sky. He missed her. Life hadn't been the same without her in it. His feelings for her were the closest to love that he had ever felt. Perhaps they had not been romantic in nature, nothing had ever come of that, but it was true never-ending love. Soul mates he had supposed.

He paused at the door to his apartment building contemplating going in or staying out in the rain. Deciding it was probably best to go inside he slowly ascended the stairs, unlocking the door automatically, steeling himself for the pain of entering the building. The memories that he had built during his time as a tenant assaulting him the moment he stepped across the threshold. He walked stoically towards his apartment door his mind still going over everything in his life. He had failed Mac several times and it was only buy the grace of God that the man had given him a second chance, and a third. He stepped inside and his eyes fell on the pool table in the middle of the room. Lindsay…Montana. It had all gone so wrong. She hadn't been there when he needed her. He understood to a point that he had pushed her away, but he hadn't really felt the same as she had. He had been shocked when she confessed to loving him. While he cared for her, he couldn't really claim to love her. Too much had happened between them and it hadn't been good for their relationship. He felt sorry that she was hurt, and he had tried to make it up to her, but he was grateful that she had chosen not to come over the night he asked her to. It was probably for the best. She deserved someone who could love her completely. That was not something he could do.

He took off his coat as he stepped into his apartment, closing the door softly behind him. He made sure not to look towards Rikki's apartment. He knew that she had left already, refusing his help. He understood that it was better that way. They had used each other enough and neither was in a better position than when they had started. They had needed to feel, nothing more, nothing less. They had needed someone who understood.

Walking into the kitchen, he took a bottle of whiskey out of his cupboard along with a glass. Setting it down he poured himself a shot and swallowed it down in one swift movement. Closing his eyes he waited as the burn slowly went away. Well, at least he could feel something. Burn was good. It made him think the tightness in his chest was because of something more than hatred for himself. He grabbed the glass and bottle and walked to his couch sitting down and placing the items on the coffee table. He leaned forward, his head in his hands, elbows on top of his thighs. He needed someone. He needed help. He couldn't do this himself and he didn't know where to turn. He turned on his stereo, hoping that he had a good CD in. He needed something to take his mind off of things. Lynyrd Skynyrd came on, a slow, haunting tune. This wasn't going to help get him out of this depression. I would only help it along. He sat back, taking another drink; his head lying on the back of the sofa. Another night of getting drunk by himself. Well, it was better than getting drunk outside he supposed. He got up remembering that he had left his gun out. Probably not the best idea he thought to himself. He had taken to locking it up when he was at home. It was safer that way; for himself and for others.

A knock at the door made him change his direction, his body longing for another shot; he knew he should probably answer before the person started getting really persistent. Opening the door he was shocked to see Flack standing there, a bottle of Crown Royal in his hands. Leave it to Flack to bring the good stuff. Without a word he stepped aside letting Flack into the room. Flack was his one true friend, the man who stood beside him through thick and thin, no matter the cost. He was grateful for that. He knew that their friendship put a lot of pressure on Flack. They came from two very different backgrounds and he knew that Flack's father thought he was insane for befriending him. A mobster's son and a police legend's son, they obviously hadn't grown up in the same social circles.

Danny walked back to the kitchen, grabbed another glass and joined Flack on the sofa. Pouring them both a shot, they tapped glasses lightly before downing their contents. Not a word had been spoken between the two friends and it was okay. They were comfortable that way. The music played in the background, setting the mood. The lights low, the sound of rain against the windows in the room. Five shots later Danny finally spoke.

"What is the point of doing this Flack? How are we supposed to keep going on?"

Flack looked at him for a moment before responding.

"We breathe, we go to work, and we hope some day there will be someone at home waiting for us with open arms, ready to take away the horrors of the day. Then we wake up and do it all over again. Some day that dream has to come true."

Danny looked at him thoughtfully, nodding his head and taking another drink. He wanted to believe his friend. He wanted to believe that someday he would be happy. He didn't know if it was possible. Could he finally learn to stop pushing people away? He figured someday there would be a woman who would have the compassion and strength that he needed. Taking another drink he swallowed the liquid quickly before answering.

"Yeah, someday."

_**AN: This story is dedicated to BrownEyedGirl75 who made me feel secure enough to try this out. For those of you who want to listen, the song Danny ends up listening to is called I Need You by Lynyrd Skynyrd.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I should have mentioned this in the first chapter but I forgot. I obviously do not own CSI: NY or its characters. I only own those characters you don't recognize. There are slight spoilers in this up through Season 4. **

_What happens to a soul when_

_It's trapped inside his emotions_

_And all of these words he's spoken_

_They bind him to the life he's left behind_

_And every new step he takes_

_He knows that he might not make it_

_To all of these dreams that he has yet to find_

_You can see that this broken soul is bleeding_

_So you can see your feelings inside yourself_

_And wander through my heart_

_Letting you see through me_

_Now only consumes me_

_Forget your pain and watch me fall apart._

_- 3 Doors Down "Pages"_

Danny woke up the next morning bright and early thanks to the sun and prayed that the headache would quickly go away. It was going to be a very long day. Of course it was his own fault; he glanced at the table, the half empty bottle of Crown Royal mocking him. Yes, this had been his fault. He wasn't exactly sure what time Flack had left, but he knew that it had been well into the early hours of the morning before he had finally passed out on the couch.

He sat up slowly, the pounding in his head getting more persistent and cursed the fact he had to go to work that day. He glanced at the clock on the wall thanking God that it was early and he wasn't late for work. He stood up, stumbling a bit as he headed in the direction of the bathroom.

_I'm never drinking again_

And as he thought that to himself he had to laugh. The day he didn't have at least two drinks at night hell will have frozen over. He figured it could be construed that he had a drinking problem, and as much as he wanted to deny it, he knew that it was true. He knew that he was on a slippery slope and one day he wasn't going to be able to climb back up. But for now, it was what he needed. He needed something to give him that release and so help him if someone was going to try and take that away from him.

He turned on the water to the shower before turning to look in the mirror. He looked like shit. His eyes were bloodshot and the dark rings underneath proved that he hadn't been sleeping. He needed to shave, he needed a haircut, and he needed some coffee. That would make it better. At least it would get him through the next few hours.

Stripping out of his day old clothes, he stepped into the shower, hissing at the coldness of the water. He needed it to wake him up and this was doing the trick. He reached behind him and slowly turned the dial towards hot letting the warmth ease the tightness in his muscles. He turned into the water and rested his forehead against the cool tiles on the wall. He didn't know how he was going to keep up this charade. He didn't have a choice, like Flack had said the night before, he had to keep his head held high and eventually things had to work out. He doubted it though. With what he saw on a daily basis, he had to wonder if this was as good as it was going to get.

He finished his shower quickly knowing that although he had woken up early, he didn't have that much time to waste, and if he wanted to stop for coffee he would have to get going soon. He shaved quickly, cursing as he nicked himself, and ran a small amount of gel through his hair. Glancing in the mirror he grimaced. He didn't look much better than when he had pulled himself up off the couch. Oh well, he wasn't out to impress anyone. He walked towards his bedroom and opened his closet. He needed to do laundry desperately. Most of what he owned was on the floor and flowing out of his hamper. He quickly flicked through the clothes hanging there before deciding on a faded pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. He was grateful that Mac let him dress casually. He didn't know how the man worked constantly in a suit. Between him and Flack, there were enough suits around. Pulling his jacket on he took a glance around his place and with a sigh he closed the door behind him and locked it. He needed to clean.

* * *

Danny stepped out onto the street sighing with pleasure as he took a drink of his latte. God bless caffeine. He could feel the fog beginning to lift from his brain as the warm liquid traversed his body. Glancing at his watch he swore and took off in a light run towards the subway station. He was going to be late if he didn't pick up his pace. He swiped his Metro Card and squeezed into the car just as the doors were beginning to close. Sighing he headed to an empty seat, almost falling into it. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the metal wall behind him. Just as his headache was starting to slow its assault on his brain he heard a small scuffle next to him and his eyes snapped open as something fell into his lap, knocking his drink to the ground.

He let out a small grunt and focused on the scene in front of him. He watched as some kids ran through the car and into the one behind it before his eyes focused on the object in his lap. His blue eyes met hazel for a brief second as his mind registered that there was a warm female body in his lap. He didn't have much time to enjoy the fact before she was pushing up off of him, her hand pressed against his chest, pushing him back into his seat. His hand accidentally brushed her bare thigh as she stood up, his mind immediately imagining inappropriate things at the feeling of her smooth skin.

"If you would stop manhandling me, this would be a lot easier," her voice drifted into his head, snapping him out of his day dream.

"What?" He wanted to smack himself. _What an amazing response_, he thought.

"Never mind," she said getting fully to her feet, trying to blot at the coffee stain on her white skirt. "This is just fabulous. I really don't think this day could get any worse."

Danny still could not find his voice, his brain still slow from the amount of alcohol he had consumed the night before. His eyes began a slow sweep up her body, lingering a bit to admire her figure. He finally made it to her face and he was a bit shocked to see her glaring at him.

"Do you want to take a picture? I don't know if you'll have much more time to stare." Her voice was soft, but tinged with anger.

"What? No! I mean……listen I'm sorry. I'm just a bit out of it this morning. I'm sorry about the coffee. Is there anything I can do?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair, "No, thanks. I think I've had enough help making my day horrible as it is. I just want to get off this damn train and get to work before I end up getting fired. That would just be the icing on the cake."

Danny spent the short remainder of the ride staring at her back. Her blonde hair fell in soft waves to the center of her back and her skirt displayed the very nice curvature of her ass. _This day is starting to look up_ he thought with a smirk. The train slowed to a stop and as he stood up he was bumped into by a stern looking business woman who was obviously in a bigger rush to get off the train. He, in turn, bumped into the mystery woman from earlier and she turned to glare at him for a second time that morning. He looked down at her and muttered his apologizes before stepping back to let her make her way towards the doors. He followed her up the stairs and watched as she made her way the opposite direction from him. He sighed, there was no chance in hell he would see her again. In a city of 8 million the odds weren't in his favor. He turned and began the short walk to the crime lab, glancing back once hoping to get a glimpse of her again. Disappointed he turned and continued on his way.

* * *

Danny made his way into his office and grimaced when he saw Lindsay was already there. He should have known better. He should have taken Flack's advice not to get involved with someone at work. Too messy. He murmured a hello to her, hanging his jacket over the back of his chair. Lindsay looked at him, a frown etched on her face.

"You smell like hazelnut coffee."

"Yeah, let's just say I haven't had the best morning so far," he replied, pulling out his desk drawer and taking out a bottle of Tylenol. Knocking two back, he took a drink of a day old soda that was sitting on his desk. He frowned and tried not to gag at the taste.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lindsay was staring at him, the crease still evident between her eyes. He looked at her and shook his head.

"Not really. Nothing much to say," he paused, debating whether he should continue or not. As fate would have it, he wouldn't have a chance to say anything as his thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone going off. Reaching down he flipped it open and looked at the text message on the screen. Getting up he grabbed his jacket, his kit, and walked out of the room. He could feel Lindsay's eyes on him and he tensed up. This was going to be harder than he thought.

As he stepped into the elevator he finally looked at her. Her eyes hadn't left him and he knew they still needed to have that final talk. It was just something that he wasn't looking forward to and he hoped maybe she would just forget about the whole thing and just move on. He wasn't that lucky though. No, lady luck definitely wasn't on his side in this situation.

The elevator doors opened as he reached the first floor and he saw Stella waiting there at the entryway. It looked like they were on this case together and he was glad for that. She wouldn't bother him. He knew she would be dying inside to ask, but would understand that he would talk in his own time. No need to bother his co-workers with his problems. He was walking a fine line as it was, he didn't need to add to it.

He quietly got into the truck and kept his mouth shut as she began driving through the crowed streets of the city. They reached their destination quickly, no more than 20 minutes later. He was grateful for that. The silence was uncomfortable and as the truck pulled to a stop he stepped out and pulled his kit out of the backseat. Walking towards the yellow tape, he was relieved to see Flack was on this case. He didn't know if he could have dealt with Angell that morning. Flack caught his eye and Danny gave him a slight nod. Without words the look still spoke volumes and before Stella caught up with him Flack said, "8 o'clock. Sullivans." Another nod from Danny and Flack started telling them what he knew about the dead body laying in the street.

* * *

Danny sat back in his chair, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. His day had gone from bad to worse with the case and he was glad his day was almost over. He glanced at the clock, signed the last page of his report, and closed the file. Heading into the locker room he quickly changed into a white long sleeved shirt, throwing the previous one into the bottom of the locker. He rubbed his jaw and winced at the pain. He would have a bruise in the next couple days, a gift from their suspect in the murder from this morning. It only added to the physical need for a drink. He laughed bitterly at himself. This was not how he pictured life.

Closing his locker, he found himself staring at Lindsay. She had her coat in her arms and she was just staring at him. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to do this right now. But he knew she wouldn't make it that simple.

"Do you want to go get a drink or something?" she asked him softly, glancing down at her hands.

"I don't think that would be a good idea Lindsay," he could see her face fall, not sure if it was because he had said no or if it was because he actually used her name.

"I was just thinking that we haven't spent much time together and maybe we could catch up? Like old times?"

"I've got plans," he couldn't think of anything else to say and he was feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second.

"Danny, I just…"

"No, Lindsay. I'm sorry. I can't keep doing this. This obviously isn't going to work. I can't give you what you need. I can't give you the love that you deserve. I don't have it in me. Too much has happened," he stopped, he didn't know what else to say. He hated this, and when she finally spoke he was shocked at her answer. He expected her to cry, to fight, instead she did the opposite.

"It's okay Danny," she muttered softly before turning to walk out of the room, the door shutting behind her quietly.

He breathed a sigh of relief, almost feeling bad for it, and walked out of the room a few moments later. Maybe things weren't as bad as he thought.

**I would like to thank Aphina for her help with this chapter and for offering to beta for me. I really appreciate it. Thank you to all who reviewed, it means the world to me!**


	3. Chapter 3

_Here I am, where I've been,_

_I've walked a hundred miles in tobacco skin,_

_And my clothes are worn and gritty,_

_And I know ugliness,_

_Now show me something pretty._

_I was a dumb, punk kid with nothing to lose, _

_And too much weight for walking shoes,_

_I could have died from being boring, _

_As for loneliness, _

_She greets me in the morning._

_  
At the most I'm a glare, _

_I'm the hopeless son who's hardly there, _

_I'm the open sign that's always busted, _

_I'm the friend you need, but can't be trusted._

_Patrick Park – Something Pretty_

* * *

Sullivan's was packed, a sure sign that the weekend had arrived in New York City. The air inside was hot and humid not providing any relief from the heat outside. People were jammed in the bar from wall to wall, not leaving much room for movement. He was sure they were breaking the maximum occupation set in the fire code, but he couldn't care less. Taking a quick glance around Danny figured Flack was still at work. It didn't matter; he would start drinking on his own. His body ached for a drink and Danny didn't care what it was or what it tasted like. As long as it was alcohol, he was game.

He began making his way through the sea of bodies. It was taking an abnormally long time and he was starting to get impatient. Glancing over to his right he saw a small opening at the bar. As he went to step into it, the person next to him stepped directly in his path. He tried to put his hands up to stop himself but it didn't do any good. He closed his eyes and muttered a curse as he heard the distinct sound of a glass breaking.

"You've got to be kidding me," he heard an oddly familiar voice say.

Opening his eyes, he found himself staring into the same hazel eyes from this morning. He didn't know what to say and when he opened his mouth to say something, he was shocked at what came out.

"It's you."

"And here I was thinking my day couldn't get any worse," she said. "Would you mind letting go of me?"

Danny glanced down and realized he had his hands wrapped around her upper arms. He took a minute and looked her over. Her hair was down and he realized it wasn't just blond, but had strands of a darker brown throughout. It was long with loose curls and he wondered what it would feel like to run his hands through it. She was shorter than him by a good six inches and incredibly slender. His eyes roamed down and took in her tan halter-top and jeans before traveling back up to her eyes. He found himself entranced by them and unable to form a cohesive thought.

"Didn't get a good enough look this morning?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Just admiring the view," he responded, smirking as she frowned. "Let me get you another drink. I'll try not to pour it on you this time. Well, unless you want me to," he rubbed his thumbs over the bare skin of her arms.

At that, her frown turned into a full glare and she pulled her arms out of his grasp. "No, thank you. You've done enough already." He watched as she turned away and tried to think of a way to stop her.

"Wait. Can I at least get your name?"

"No," she said as she walked back towards her table of friends.

Danny stared after her before sighing and turning back to the bar. He wasn't in the mood to chase someone tonight. Well, at least not until he had a few in him. He signaled for the bartender and ordered a pitcher of Boddingtons and a shot of whiskey. Paying, he drank the shot leaving the glass on the bar. He grabbed the pitcher and glasses and turned to find Flack or at least a table. A hand on his forearm stopped him.

"Her name is Abigail. Abigail Payne."

He turned and saw a girl with short black hair looking at him. "What?"

"The blond? Her name is Abigail Payne. She's my best friend. I'm Maggie by the way," she said.

"Nice to meet ya Maggie," he said with a smile. "Could you do me a favor and tell me what she's drinking?" he glanced over to Abigail's table.

"Abby will drink pretty much anything, but I think right now she's on her sweet kick. I think an Amaretto Sour would be a safe bet," she said with a wink. "What's your name?"

"Danny Messer," he smiled and began making his way back to the bar. "Thanks for your help Maggie."

"Anytime," she laughed, walking back towards the table. She smiled at Abby's glare as she sat down next to her.

"What was that?" Abby asked staring at Danny's back.

"I was just telling him your name since you brushed him off."

"Maggie, if I wanted him to know my name, I would have told him myself," Abby said with a sigh. "I don't want to start anything with anyone right now."

"Come one Abby, just think of it this way, he looks like he would be fun in the sack and you can't keep handling that area of life all by yourself."

"Maggie! Stop it now!" Abby blushed and tried to hide her smile behind her drink as the other girls around the table started laughing. Glancing at Danny's back again, she had to admit, the man was beautiful and she only could imagine what he could do with those hands that had been on her skin earlier.

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" Danny asked as Flack walked up to his table, pulling off his tie.

"Interrogation," Flack said with a sigh, hanging his jacket over the back of his seat. He glanced at the half-full pitcher and smiled. "Been here long?"

"A while," he said distractedly, his eyes already straying back to Abby's table. He watched as she laughed, smiling a bit as he studied her. She was just finishing her drink and he watched as another one was brought to her table. He watched her frown as the drink was set in front of her and imagined what her protests would sound like. She nodded at the server and he saw her pick up the napkin. Her eyes swept up and looked around the room before they settled on his. Smiling, he raised his glass in a silent toast and as she did the same, he thought that maybe things were going to get better. Then his smile faded as she crumpled up the napkin and threw it in the center of the table. She smiled one more time at him before taking a drink and turning back to her friends.

"What was that?" Flack said amusement evident in his voice.

"My number," he responded taking a large gulp of beer.

"Oh that's classic," Flack laughed. "And she just crumpled it up."

"Thanks for the replay Flack. I don't think I caught it all the first time," Danny scowled at his friend.

"So, I'm guessing that means that things are finally officially over with Monroe?" Flack stated as he poured himself a glass of the beer, his eyes on the hockey game the television was showing. The Rangers were losing and he wasn't sure if he should cry or be angry.

"Was there really anything to officially end?" Danny asked taking another drink.

"Well, obviously she thought so," he chuckled before continuing, "so who's the new girl?"

"Abigail Payne. She's the girl from the subway this morning. What are the odds of that?"

"Payne huh? A last name like that, she could be trouble."

Danny shot Flack a look that said you have to be kidding me, before he laughed.

"Name like that and she could be incredibly fun."

Flack watched as Danny's eyes strayed back to the girl, watching as she started to leave. He was hoping that she would grab the number and call him, anything to get Danny out of this mood, but she didn't. He sighed and realized they were going to need another pitcher of beer. Just then, he saw a black haired girl grab the number, slip it in Abby's pocket and wink at Danny. Things might just be looking up. Well, at least a bit. The Rangers were still losing.

* * *

The night had ended after the Rangers' disappointing loss. Danny had made it home and promptly passed out on his bed, completely clothed. He woke up, head pounding from the complete pitcher of beer and several shots he had drank. He glanced over to the clock he swore sitting up quickly. It was a bad idea. He pressed his hand to his forehead and lay back down immediately with a groan. After a few minutes, he sat back up slowly and made his way to the bathroom. Quickly he brushed his teeth and glanced in the mirror. The bruise on his jaw was starting to appear and he regretted the fact he had shaved the previous morning. At least that would have helped cover it up. Shutting off the water, he ran his hands through his hair quickly and gave up. He needed to get to the bank to cash his check. He needed to pay rent and if he didn't today, his super was going to be on his ass again. Throwing on a different shirt, he walked out the door.

He headed down the street praying he would make it before they closed and was happy that he had fifteen minutes to spare. He walked through the doors and glanced around trying to find someone that could help him. A teller with three in line pointed to an open window a bit further down that only had two waiting. As he walked over to it, he wanted to let out a cheer. The teller was none other than Abby. He knew this was a sign. He waited impatiently for the person in front of him to finish their business and smiled when she made eye contact with him.

"Are you stalking me or something? Because really, I will call the cops."

"I swear I'm not stalking you, I just happen to bank here. And I am the cops," he said placing his check on the counter with his ID. "I need to cash that please."

She took the check and ID off the counter and began entering the information into the computer, the small crease between her eyes back. All he wanted was to kiss that spot and smooth it out. He watched her work before deciding he should try again with her.

"You didn't call me."

"You are very astute."

"Didn't you like the drink?" he smiled.

"Yes, Maggie explained you asked what I liked," she slid a sheet of paper over to him for his signature. "Thank you."

"Come on, meet me for drinks tonight? Just drinks, nothing more."

"I really don't think that would be a good idea," she said glancing at him before counting out his money.

"Why not?"

"Listen," she sighed, "I know your type Mr. Messer…"

"Danny…."

"Fine, Danny. I know your type, and I really don't want to get caught up in that," she pushed the envelope with his cash over to him and he could see her staring at his bruise. "Now, unless you have more banking needs, I really need to get back to work."

He glanced at the line behind him and nodded, "You really should give me a chance. You can't always judge a book by its cover."

"Have a nice day Danny, thank you for banking with us," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, have a good day."

* * *

Abby sighed as she entered her apartment, closing the door behind her. Her day had been long between her job at the bank and her internship at the art gallery. It was seven o'clock at night and all she wanted to do was go to bed. She walked into the living room, greeting her cat Buffy, and placed her keys in a bowl on the coffee table. Walking over to the windows she gazed out across the city. She couldn't stop thinking about Danny and that bothered her. She had come here to go to school, not to find a boyfriend.

She turned away from the windows and walked into her bedroom deciding that she needed something to take her mind off of him. Flicking on the radio she began picking up the room throwing clothes into the hamper and striping the sheets off the bed. She headed towards the laundry room and began loading the clothes in. She was cleaning out the pockets of her jeans when she pulled out a folded napkin. She wondered how it had gotten in her pocket and her thoughts were filled with Danny as she opened it up and saw his phone number. She moved to throw it in the wastebasket before changing her mind. Starting the load of laundry she moved back to her bedroom and placed the napkin on her bedside table. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to keep it. He didn't really come across as a bad guy. Shaking her head she started remaking the bed, her thoughts focusing on the music in the background.

The night had quickly begun to get away from her and she finally gave up on anything productive coming of it and climbed into bed. She turned on the television listening to the nightly news and sketching on her paper. She looked at what she had drawn and swore, tearing the sheet out, crumpling it, and throwing it across the room. She started drawing again before realizing that the same picture was starting to develop. It was Danny's face, and she couldn't get it out of her head. Her cat jumped up onto her bedside table, drawing her attention to it and the napkin. She picked it up and sat back against the headboard thinking. She didn't know how long she had been staring at it before she finally decided to grab her cell phone and dialed the number. She listened to the rings, not breathing and praying he wouldn't answer.

"Messer," his voice cut into her thoughts and she didn't know what to say.

"Hello?" he said again. She let out her breath and cleared her throat.

"Yeah, Danny? It's Abigail, from the subway, well and the bar and the bank…" she faded off, smacking herself on the forehead. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_ she thought to herself.

"I really didn't think you'd ever call."

"Yeah, well, I am. I was wondering if you were maybe free tonight. For that drink? I know it's late to be calling, but I really need to get out of here and I was hoping your offer still stood."

Danny turned off the television and stood up heading towards his bedroom. Sweatpants and a wife beater probably weren't going to cut it, "Yeah, I'm free and the offer definitely stands. Where were you thinking?" He was glad he had done some laundry that afternoon.

"Do you know where Prohibition is?" she asked getting out of bed and heading for her closet.

"Yeah," he had heard of the place but had never been there, "I know where it's at. Upper West Side yeah?" He pulled out a blue long-sleeved button up shirt and a pair of dark washed jeans.

"Yeah, it's on Columbus."

"I can be there in probably thirty minutes**,** will that work for you?"

"Yeah, that'll be great," she said smiling.

"Hey, Abby?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you called."

"Yeah, me too. I'll see you in about thirty," and with that she hung up staring at her clothes. She settled on a black tank top and black pants before heading into the bathroom to start on her makeup. Looking in the mirror she stared at her bare face and hoped she wasn't making a mistake.

* * *

Danny stepped out of the cab in front of Prohibition and looked around for Abby. He saw her coming down the street and walked up to her a smile on his face.

"Did you walk or something?" he asked, offering his arm to her.

"Yeah, I'm just a little bit up the road on Riverside. Thought the night air would do me good," she smiled and slipped her arm through his. Her first thought was how he smelled. The only word that came to mind was divine and she blushed at the thought. She thanked him as he politely opened the door for her and grabbing his hand she led him to an open seat in the far back corner. They sat across from each other and after they ordered their drinks they just stared at one another. Laughing she started talking first.

"I'm sorry about earlier. You're right, I shouldn't judge you based on what type of person I think you are. It was wrong of me," she placed her hands on the table and played with the silver bracelet around her left wrist.

"I'm just glad you decided to call. I was having a hard time not thinking about you," he smiled as she laughed, the sound ringing in his ears and making his pulse speed up.

"You said you're a cop?"

"Yeah, well, more specifically, I'm with the Crime Scene Unit," he took his drink from the waitress and gave his credit card to open up a tab.

"Wow that must be interesting. Disgusting, but interesting," she laughed and took a sip of her martini.

"It has its disgusting moments, but mostly it's a pretty interesting job" he sat back, his body relaxing as the warmth from his Crown and Coke began its flow through his body.

"So you're a banker?"

"Well, that's one of my jobs. Mostly just for extra spending cash. I just work there on Saturdays. I'm actually a student at NYU."

He tensed for a few moments, hoping to God he wasn't sitting there with some young bit of jail bait, "Ummm, no offense, but how old are you?"

"I'm 25. What? You afraid that one of your buddies may have to haul you off to a cell of your own down at the station?" she laughed at his discomfort, before seeing him physically relax.

"No! I mean, well yeah. Can't be too careful these days," he relaxed again, his eyes roaming over her face and neck. She had pulled up her hair and all he could think about was how her neck would taste. Her voice brought him back to their conversation.

"I'm studying Art History, so during the week I work at a small art gallery and paint a bit myself. So, how old are you?" her finger trailed over the edge of her glass, making him shift uncomfortably before he responded.

"I'm 34. Well, almost 35," he took another drink to distract himself. He needed to keep talking. Anything to keep the inappropriate thoughts from taking complete control of his mind, "You're not from New York are you?"

"The lack of accent give it away that quickly?" she smiled and licked her lips. "No, I'm from Colorado Springs, CO. I just moved here the beginning of last semester. I love it though. You obviously are from around here."

"Colorado huh? I've never been there. Pretty much stuck to New York. I was born and raised in Staten Island."

He continued to watch her as they kept talking. The more comfortable she became the less comfortable he became. The finale straw was her running her index finger down his pinky with a sly smile on her face.

She didn't know why she was doing what she was. She needed a physical release and all she could think of was Maggie's comment of how she couldn't keep trying to find that release herself. There came a time when a man's touch was needed. She knew that it was bad of her, but she couldn't handle it anymore and he seemed more than willing to help her in that department and she was sure that he wouldn't disappoint. She finally touched him, nothing more than running her nail down the pinky finger of his right hand. She watched as his eyes went dark with desire. He signaled the waitress over to close out their tab and quickly signing his name he grabbed her hand and lead her to the door.

They had barely made it out the door before he was pushing her up against the building, his mouth on hers. She moaned as his fingers dug into her hips, his tongue searching for hers. She ran her hands through his hair, her nails lightly scraping his scalp and down the back of his neck. He pulled away and looked at her.

"You said only a few blocks to your place?"

She nodded and grabbed his hand pulling him in the direction of her building. She wasn't exactly sure how they had made it to the building and into the elevator but currently all she could think about was his lips on her neck as she watched the numbers slowly increase on the screen. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the elevator doors opened and she led him to her apartment door. Locking the door behind her, he was on her in an instant, his hands pushing the shirt she was wearing up over her head and pushing her against the door.

His hands roamed to her breasts and he lightly rubbed her through the material of her bra as her hands began working the buttons of his shirt. She began walking forward; her lips never leaving his as she deftly lead him in the direction of her bedroom. Pushing him towards the bed, she finally finished unbuttoning his shirt and slid it down his arms. Pulling away she smiled, finally taking a good look at him. He slid off his shoes and began unbuttoning her pants, letting them fall down to the floor.

She stepped out of them and her shoes as he pulled her onto the bed, covering her body with his own. Reaching behind him, he tugged the bottom of his wife beater up and pulled it off. She rolled them over so that she was straddling his waist her nails lightly scraping down his bare chest. He groaned and shut his eyes. Her lips followed her nails and he hissed when she bit down on his nipples.

"Jesus," he moaned.

She smiled at his response and let her lips travel lower. She could feel him through his pants and she ran her hand over the front of his pants lightly teasing him. She moved her hands to his belt and was shocked when he sat up.

"Wait a minute," he said breathless, running a hand through his hair.

"What? I have protection if that's what you're worried about," she said pushing him back down.

"No, that's not was I was thinking about," he sat back up and groaned as her crotch pressed fully against his. He claimed her lips again in a bruising kiss and pulled away again, lightly biting her lip. "I just don't want you to think of this as a one night deal. I don't want to just help you cure an itch. As much as I want to," he kissed her again, his lips moving down to her throat; his fingers undoing her hair and letting it fall down her back. "God, trust me I want to."

"Do you know how much of a girl you sound like?" she moaned as his fingers slipped between them and under the band of her panties. He chuckled against her neck.

"As much as that really helps a man perform, I can't. Because if I don't then there's still a chance you'll call me again," his breathing was becoming labored and he closed his eyes, as she ground herself against him.

"You were saying?" she murmured as she lightly nipped at his neck.

"I've got to go," and with great pains he pushed her off of him onto the bed. His eyes wandered down her body. Her lips were red and swollen from their kisses and there was a light red mark where he had lightly bitten her shoulder. "Damn, you're beautiful," he said, letting a breath out.

"Then come enjoy me", she said leaning back and running her fingers across her stomach. He looked like he might agree for a moment and she smiled.

"No. I really should be going," and he stood up, buttoning his pants and sliding on his shoes and grabbing his shirt off the floor.

"What? You're kidding right?" she starting following him out of the bedroom towards the front door. "I'm offering myself to you and you're turning me down? You were enjoying it in there! I know you were!"

He stopped and buttoned up his shirt taking a breath before responding. He walked over to her and grabbed her in his arms kissing her again, pressing his body against hers. "I was more than enjoying it and it should be evident to you that I was," he said pulling away. "I just want this to be more than a one night deal. Maybe if I give you a preview, you will want me to come around more. I'm sorry Abby. I've got to go."

With that he kissed her one more time before walking out the door and closing it. She stood there a minute, unsure as to what just happened. The door opened again and snapped her out of her thoughts. Danny stormed back into the apartment and grabbed her again his lips searching for hers. She moaned as his tongue began its tease of hers and his hands went into her hair.

"I'll call you tomorrow Abby," he said pulling away again and walking back out the door.

She stared at the door, willing it to open again. When it didn't she let out a frustrated scream and locked it. Heading back towards her room, she had to admit. She definitely was wanting more of Danny Messer.

* * *

**AN: I have to give a huge thank you to BrownEyedGirl75 & Aphina. Without their never ending support this would have never ended up the way it did. They are amazing and I am greatly appreciative of them. To everyone that has reviewed you are wonderful. I am grateful for your kind words and I hope you keep enjoying it. To those who have read but not reviewed, I hope you are enjoying it. Please let me know what you think!**

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

_Who can say where the roads meet, _

_That love might be, in your heart?_

_And who can say when the day sleeps,_

_If the night keeps all your heart?_

_Night keeps all your heart…_

_Who can say if your love grows, _

_As your heart chose, only time._

_And who can say where the road goes_

_Where the day flows, only time._

_Enya – Only Time_

* * *

Abby had been up all night tossing and turning, thoughts of the previous night and Danny were running rampant through her mind. She didn't know what to think or what to do and she didn't know why she was so upset about it. Her pride was hurt and she didn't understand why she cared so much. She thought maybe that she just didn't do it for him, but she remembered that his body was definitely responding to her actions and he was very excited to be in the position he was.

Her cat had given up on her once early morning had come around, she'd pissed it off too many times from her constant movement that resulted in a few unfortunate kicks at the poor cat. Buffy currently was sulking in the corner looking out the window. She looked as upset as Abby felt. Abby rolled over and glanced at the clock for what felt like the three millionth time since Danny had left. It was six am and with a sigh, she pushed the blankets back. No point in staying in bed. At this point she wasn't going to get any sleep. Her thoughts strayed back to what she had originally been thinking. She had wanted nothing more than a one night deal, a source of release, and she thought he would have been more than happy to oblige. Instead, he had riled her up and not followed through. She still couldn't believe he had walked out on her like that.

She stepped into the shower, wanting to wash away the memory of his touch. She could still feel the pressure of his hands and the memory of his lips on her skin. It was doing nothing to help her situation and she was even more frustrated than she had been before. All of this over some stupid guy she had decided to make a move on and bring home. It's not like she was looking for marriage, just a good roll in the sack, and he had denied her even that. She had been disappointed again, and she decided that was what probably hurt the worse. It wasn't often that she put herself out there to other people and this was the exact reason why. In the end, she just got hurt more.

"Dammit," she said aloud, rubbing her hands over her face. She sighed and turned the water hotter, cursing Danny under her breath. She leaned her head against the tiles and slowly slid down the wall, sitting on the floor of the shower. She bowed her head and let the water beat against her neck and back as she pulled her knees towards her chest. She just had to realize that she was on her own. She needed to push whatever self-pity she was feeling to the back of her mind and use her strength to project a strong, self-confident woman to the rest of the world. Even if she was breaking inside.

* * *

Danny sat at his kitchen counter drinking a cup of coffee and staring at his cell phone almost as if willing it to ring. Glancing at the clock, he sighed realizing it was probably still too early to call her. He stood to move into the living room when his cell phone rang. He grabbed it, his chest tightening with anticipation. He was more than disappointed when the caller id displayed dispatch. Sighing, he answered the phone.

"Messer," he said and waited as they gave him the information and location. "Yeah, I'll be right there."

He disconnected the call and headed to the bathroom to get ready. He was crazy for thinking she would call. After what he did, she probably thought he was certifiably insane. He stepped into the shower closing his eyes and trying to relax. He couldn't stop himself from picturing her, straddling his waist, her nails scraping down his chest. His reaction was immediate and he immediately changed the water to cold, cursing as it hit his body. He quickly finished his shower and got dressed, praying the case would be an easy one and he would be able to focus.

* * *

His mind was a million miles away as he drove to the scene. Well, more closely, his mind was on the Upper West Side. He walked up the stairs of the brownstone and signed in with the uniform at the door. As he walked into the place, he cursed his luck. The place was a disaster there was stuff everywhere. This was going to take all day. His luck got even worse when he turned around as the door opened and saw Angell and Lindsay walk into the room. _Great, just great_ he thought to himself as he started to work.

It had been five hours since they had started collecting evidence and they were finally ready to head back to the lab. Barely a word had been spoken between Lindsay and himself, which was fine with him, but he kept feeling her eyes watching him. She finally broke the silence as he closed up his kit and picked up the box of evidence he had collected.

"Can you give me a ride back to the lab?" she asked, closing her own kit. "Angell brought me here, but she's not done yet."

"Yeah, sure," he said, taking one more look around. "You ready?"

"I just have one more thing and I'll be done."

"I'll be outside," he said walking out the door. His thoughts were still on Abby and he needed to come up with some way to fix things, to show that he was definitely interested. Placing his case and box in the truck he finally figured the only thing that would help would be flowers. Grabbing his phone, he dialed information and asked for a florist near Abby's building.

"Surroundings, this is Morgan, how may I help you?" a pleasant female voice answered.

"Yes, I'd like to place an order for flowers to be delivered," Danny said leaning back against the truck.

"Sure, what are you looking for?" the woman asked.

He thought for a minute before responding. He really had never sent flowers to anyone before. It was completely out of character for him, but something about this girl had his world flipped upside down.

"Sir?" the woman on the line asked.

"Oh, sorry. Umm…I don't know. What would you suggest?" he asked with a sigh.

"Depends what it's for."

"Umm, a combo 'I'm sorry' and 'will you go to dinner with me'? She's a sophisticated woman, her apartment was clean, simple, and…" he paused trying to think of the right word. "Expensive," he finally said with a chuckle. "She's unique."

"There are a few that I would recommend, but I think my favorite out of all of them is called the Kiss and Tell. It's an arrangement of hyacinth that comes in pink, purple, and lilac," she paused, "If it were me? I wouldn't be able to say no. The other recommendation would be our bouquet of calla lilies. We have ones that are purple and peach or another arrangement that is mango colored."

Danny closed his eyes and tried to remember what her apartment had looked like. All he could remember was her half-naked body lying on that bed, "Let's go with the first one, the hyacinths."

"It really is a beautiful bouquet sir, she won't be disappointed. Do you want a card sent out with that, maybe a box of chocolates?"

"Yeah, let's send a card and the chocolate," he paused, trying to think of the right thing to say. "Have the card say; last night was just a preview, meet me for dinner, 8'oclock tonight at 'Cesca. Yours, Danny." He smiled and opened his eyes. The smile quickly faded as he focused on the person in front of him, Lindsay, her eyes staring directly into his.

"Who are we sending these to?"

"Abby Payne. She's at the Trump Place, 220 Riverside," he paused, "I'm not exactly sure the apartment number."

"That's fine sir. How would you like to pay?"

Danny gave his information and credit card number and hung up the phone, thanking her. He watched as Lindsay climbed into the truck and sighed before heading to the driver's side.

The ride back to the lab was quieter than when they had been collecting the evidence. Danny felt guilty. He shouldn't, he reasoned, there wasn't anything between them and hadn't been for a long time. He supposed there really had never been anything to begin with, at least not on his part. Still, he felt like he should say or do something.

"Lindsay," he stated with a sigh, "I'm sor…"

"Don't," she said, cutting him off mid-word. "You don't have to explain yourself to me." She kept her eyes on the road ahead of them.

"I feel like I owe you one."

"Why? We aren't together. I'm not your mother. Let's just keep our conversations on work. Okay?" she glanced at him.

"Fine," he said, not looking at her. Why he didn't listen to Flack all those months ago when he warned him about office romances, he'd never know, but he was certainly kicking himself for it now. He was snapped out of his thoughts as his cell phone rang. He fumbled for it, again wishing it was Abby calling. He swore under his breath when he saw Flack's name.

"What do you want Flack?" he answered

"Nice Messer. I missed you too." Flack responded. "Where were you last night? I stopped by."

"What, you my girlfriend now? I was out."

"With that girl, what was her name," he paused for a second, "Abby?"

"Yes," Danny glanced at Lindsay. He really needed to stop caring what she thought.

"And?"

"And I can't talk right now," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel a headache coming on, a combination of last night, Lindsay, and traffic.

"You aren't still with her are you?" Flack asked with a disgusted tone in his voice.

"No, I wouldn't have answered if I was," apparently Flack thought he was an idiot. "Are you at the station?"

"Yeah, just finishing up some paperwork," Flack replied.

"I'm on my way back to the lab. I'll grab you there,"

"See ya."

"Yeah, Bye."

He spent the rest of the ride trying to determine what Flack was going to say when he heard what he had done. He was never going to live that one down.

* * *

Abby was sitting in her living room in her sweats, eating cookie dough ice cream and watching a repeat of Jerry Springer when her intercom buzzed. With a sigh, she stood up a bit relieved that she was being pulled away from the fighting women on the screen.

_Some people seriously need help _she thought. "Yeah, and I'm one of them for watching that crap," she said aloud to herself, with a smile. She pressed the intercom.

"Yes?"

"Ms. Payne," the voice of her doorman came over the speaker. "There is a delivery for you. Would you like me to send them up?"

"Sure Thomas, that'll be fine," she said before releasing the button and heading towards the kitchen for a glass of ice tea. She tried to remember if she had ordered anything, but couldn't think of what it would have been. She set her glass down and walked to the door as it buzzed, looking through the peephole. Frowning at what she saw, she opened the door.

"Can I help you?" she asked her eyes on what the young boy was carrying.

"Ms. Payne?" he paused and continued upon her nod. "I have a delivery for you. If you could just sign here please?" He handed her a clipboard.

Abby took the paper and signed her name quickly, her eyes never leaving the flowers in his hands. The boy handed her the arrangement and a small box before wishing her a good day and heading back to the elevator.

She closed the door behind her and quickly locked it, her eyes on the beautiful hydrangeas in her hands. Moving to the counter she set down the bouquet and box, looking for a card. She knew in her heart who had sent the flowers, but she had to be sure. While a part of her was excited at the thought of Danny sending her flowers, another part of her was scared to death. This wasn't what she had been looking for. Finding the card, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening it, her hands shaking slightly from her nerves. She read the card, a smile coming to her face, before fading away. She didn't know what to do. She was torn between protecting her heart or letting her walls down and trusting someone again. She moved back into the living room and grabbed her cell phone. She debated calling him, but changed her mind quickly. She wasn't ready for that yet. She wasn't ready to give him a yes or no answer. She needed help in making that decision. She quickly dialed a number, impatiently waiting for the person she needed most to answer.

"Hello?"

"Maggie," Abby paused, taking a deep breath. "I need your help."

"What's wrong Abby? You aren't hurt or anything are you?" she could hear the concern in Maggie's voice.

"No! Nothing like that. I just…I went out with him last night for drinks."

"Who?"

"The guy from the bar! Danny."

"Oh? And how was that?"

"Maggie, he sent me flowers," she paused, her eyes hitting the wrapped box. She reached over and quickly unwrapped it, "and chocolate."

"And that's a problem?" Maggie asked with a slight laugh. "It sounds like a really wonderful thing to me."

"Maggie…he wants me to meet him for dinner. I just…" she stopped. "Would you please just come over here? I'll explain everything then. Please Maggie. I need you."

"I'll be there in a few," Maggie said, grabbing her stuff off the counter. "You need anything?"

"Just you and your infinite wisdom."

"Yeah, right," Maggie laughed. "I'll be right over."

"Thanks Maggie," Abby hung up the phone and looked at the flowers again. She had to admit. The man was an enigma, and that interested her to no end.

* * *

"You did what?"

"I walked out and told her that it was a preview and that I didn't want it to end up being a one night deal." Danny said as Flack and him walked down the street.

"You're kidding me right?" Flack stopped and looked at his friend as if he had grown a second head.

"What? I can be honorable sometimes." Danny said exasperated.

"Right," Flack laughed. "You're a regular boy scout." He looked at his friend and saw his determination. "You're serious about this aren't you?"

"There's something different. I don't know what it is. I have spent all this time wishing for something, hoping for something. Looking for someone who would be there for me when I need them and for some reason when I look at her, I get that feeling. It's different. I don't know why, or what it is, but it's different."

"I never thought I'd see the day. Just, please, if it starts turning into something like your past messes, get out quick."

"I'm hoping it won't come to that, but I've learned my lesson I think," Danny said with a laugh as they started walking back to the lab. "Lindsay knows."

"And you care why?" Flack said looking down at his friend. "It was a mistake before it even began Danno. You should know that by now. You can't let it hold you back from moving on with your life."

"I know. I just wish…"

"Danny," Flack stopped walking and looked at him.

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Danny started walking again. "I hope she shows up." Silently Flack was hoping the same thing.

* * *

Abby was sitting at her kitchen counter, staring at the flowers, and nursing a tall glass of vodka and lemonade when her door buzzed. She stood up and rushed to the door, glancing through the peephole before flinging it open.

"Did you ride a turtle here?" she said pulling Maggie into the apartment and shutting the door behind her.

"Ouch Abby!" Maggie said, pulling her arm away, "I got here as quickly as I could. What is wrong with you?"

"Did you not hear anything I told you on the phone? Look!" she pulled her over to the counter.

"They're beautiful Abby!" Maggie exclaimed picking up the card and reading it. "'Cesca huh? He has very good taste. What are you going to wear?"

"Wear?" Abby just looked at her. "Maggie, I don't know if I'm going to go," she said, sitting down and taking another drink of the lemonade.

"Why not? He obviously likes you."

"He obviously thinks he's going to get a repeat of last night," Abby scoffed.

"Honey, there is clearly more there. A man like him doesn't have to send flowers, chocolates, and take a girl to an expensive restaurant like 'Cesca just to get laid. I think he can get nookie without that kind of trouble."

"Did you seriously just use the word nookie?" Abby said with a laugh.

"I did, and at least it got you smiling. Now, what are you going to wear."

"Do you really think I should go?" Abby said, looking at the flowers again with a slight smile.

"Do you like him?"

"We had a good conversation last night and he is really sweet, but I just…" she paused, "I don't do well in relationships. They obviously haven't lasted long or ended well."

"Abby, you think too much. Maybe you just need to go with your heart on this one. And if you can't do that, then you just need to listen to me and go. And you better hurry because it's almost 6:30 and you take forever to get ready."

"If I end up crying over this guy, it's your fault and you owe me."

"Here," she said holding out a piece of chocolate from the box. "I'll prepay."

"Nice, Maggie. You're a doll," Abby said rolling her eyes but taking the piece of chocolate. "Now, help me find something to wear."

"It's what I'm best at darling," Maggie replied with a laugh, pulling Abby in the direction of her closet.

* * *

Danny glanced at his watch for the twelfth time in just as many minutes and sighed. It was already 8:25pm, she wasn't going to show. He looked at the other people in the room and felt his stomach tighten at the sight of all the happy couples in the room. He wanted that. He wanted someone to come home to at the end of a long shift, who would understand that he wanted nothing more than to hold her and leave the work behind. He wouldn't have been able to get that with Lindsay. Work would never be just work and home would never just be home. He knew it sounded stupid, but he was starting to want the whole "American Dream" family. He wanted the white picket fence, well maybe not literally, the 2.5 children, the dog and the beautiful wife to come home to. At 34, he was starting to think that it wasn't going to happen.

He finally gave up as the time changed to 8:30pm; he stood up wanting to quickly walk out of the room before everyone realized what had happened. Looking towards the door he stopped in his tracks. His eyes met Abby's and his breath caught in his chest. He smiled at her, taking in her appearance. The only word that came to mind was stunning. Her hair was mostly down with only the sides pulled back with sparkling jewels. Her dress was simple and black; reaching down to just below her knees, yet hugging every curve he was thanking God for. Her shoulders and arms were bare and the only jewelry she wore was a pair of diamond stud earrings. His smiled widened as she started walking towards him.

She knew she was incredibly late and was thankful he was still there. Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her, his eyes lighting up at the simple action. He looked amazing in a black suit and light blue shirt which was open at the collar. For the first time, in a long time, she felt herself relax and her mind and heart opened to the possibility that something good may come of this.

She finally reached where he was standing and was amazed when he lightly kissed her cheek.

"You look beautiful. I was worried you weren't going to show up," he said, pulling out her chair for her to sit.

"I'm so sorry, I was late getting ready and then it took me forever to get here. I'm glad you're still here."

"Me too," Danny said as he sat down across from her. He silently thanked the kids who had knocked her into his lap that first day. Without them, he may never have met Abigail Payne and would have never had a chance at that happiness he and Flack had talked about only one night before.

* * *

**A/N: First off I would like to thank Aphina & BrownEyedGirl75 for all of their help and support during this process. They are both invaluable and I would never be able to do this without their help. **

**Surroundings is an actual flower shop in Manhattan. It has beautiful arrangements and the Kiss & Tell is an actual bouquet they offer. 'Cesca is an actual restaurant in Manhattan as well. I do not own either of them, nor do I know who does. I am just using their names in order to bring actual elements of New York into my story. **

**Lastly, thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I am grateful for your kind words. Those of you who are just lurking and reading this, please let me know what you think. I don't need paragraphs, even a "great job!" or "this sucked" would be sufficient lol. Anything to let me know what people think. I apologize that this has taken so long, but with school and work I am swamped. I am working on "the date" though for chapter five, so just a bit to look forward to :) Thank you again! Mauveine**


	5. Chapter 5

_You came around me, _

_The walls just disappeared,_

_Nothing to surround me_

_And keep me from my fears_

_I'm unprotected_

_See how I've opened up_

_You've made me trust_

'_Cause I've never felt like this before_

_I'm naked around you,_

_Does it show?_

_You see right through me,_

_And I can't hide_

_I'm naked around you_

_And it feels so right_

_Avril Lavigne – Naked_

* * *

Danny was staring, he knew he was, but he couldn't take his eyes off Abby. He watched her as she lifted her wine glass to her lips, his mind flashing back to how soft they were and how they felt on his skin. She smirked as she took a sip and set her glass back onto the table.

"You are going to give me a complex. I don't have anything on my face do I?" she picked up her napkin, lightly wiping her mouth.

"No, nothing on your face," he replied with a smile. "I'm just admiring the view. You are beautiful you know?"

"Thank you," Abby replied, blushing slightly. "You're not too bad yourself."

"You really know how to stroke a guy's ego," Danny said, placing a hand over his heart.

"Well, I think you have pretty good self-esteem, you don't need me to help in that area," she took another sip of wine, her eyes never leaving his. She could see something in his eyes that proved that her statement wasn't entirely true. She could tell that Danny was hiding something.

"Yeah, well, it's always nice to get a compliment," he said, as the waiter delivered their salads. He thanked him and stabbed a piece of lettuce. "So, you've told me you're from Colorado, but that's about it."

"I don't even know where to start," she said laughing, "How about this, twenty questions to start with. We don't want to get too much information at once."

"You are a different sort of girl. Most women I know would love to talk about themselves."

"You'll find that I am not your average girl," she smiled as she took a bite of her salad. "You start."

"Okay, what kind of family did you come from?"

"That's a loaded first question," she said with a small laugh. "Wow, well, I have three older brothers; Nicholas, Marshall, and Roland. Nicky is a computer programmer in Boston, he lives there with his partner Noah," she paused to take a sip of wine. "Marshall is a Staff Sergeant in the Army and is currently stationed at Ft. Jackson, SC. He's a confirmed bachelor, but I think that he's just lying, he certainly talks about a particular woman a lot of the time, and Roland is a teacher back home in Colorado. He's married with five hellions and another one on the way. My mom is retired. She was a CFO for a major telecommunications company until just recently. My dad is a retired Army colonel, so we moved around a lot when I was growing up. What about you?"

"It was just me and my brother Louie growing up. My mom worked for the family business that my father ran," he ran a hand through his hair; she recognized it as a sign of frustration. "It wasn't entirely always on the legal side. My family has some ties with the mob and other local gangs; I've tried to separate myself from them as much as I can. It's the major reason I joined the Academy. My parents and I aren't really close. The last time I really spoke to them was a couple of years ago when my brother Louie died," he paused, draining the last of his wine and wishing it was something stronger. "He was part of the Tanglewood Boys when we were younger and when I was in trouble a while back, he got the information needed to clear my name. Unfortunately it cost him his life."

Abby didn't know what to say. She doubted anything she could come up with would make any difference. Instead, she reached her hand across the table grabbing his larger hand into her own, her thumb running over the top of his knuckles. "I'm sorry Danny."

"I will forever be in his debt," he said, gripping onto her hand, he cleared his throat trying to control his emotions. He refilled his glass and took another drink. "Okay, my turn. Do you like sports?" he hoped to lighten the mood after their first round of questions.

"I love sports. I played softball and volleyball in high school. My family spent a lot of time snowboarding and skiing, so I love that. Mostly these days I watch more than I play."

"This could be the make or break question," he said with a laugh. "What teams do you root for?"

"What sport?" she said, watching as he refilled her glass of wine.

"All of them," he sat back with a smirk.

"Okay, basketball would have to be the Houston Rockets, baseball the Houston Rangers, football the Indianapolis Colts, I'll admit I have a crush on Peyton Manning, and hockey would be the Colorado Avalanche all the way," she raised an eyebrow at his expression. "Did you think I wouldn't be able to name a single team?"

"To be honest, I was a bit skeptical. You don't look like a sports nut."

"Oh beware, get me at a game, some beer and a hotdog and I go crazy," she laughed and sat back as their waiter brought their food. Thanking him, she looked over what they had ordered. "You know, this looks almost too good to eat," she said pointing at her pasta. She looked at his Rib Eye, her eyes wide. "What'd they do? Give you the cow's entire leg?"

He laughed, looking at the 24 oz steak on his plate. "I'm hungry, I missed lunch today."

"Well eat up then," she smiled, taking a bite of the ravioli she had ordered. Closing her eyes she moaned a bit and he felt his body heat up, his eyes not leaving her face. She opened her eyes, smiling at him as he took a drink. "Do you want some?"

He chocked on the wine, coughing a bit before finally being able to talk. "Excuse me?"

"The ravioli Danny," she said with a laugh, secretly pleased that she was getting to him. "Do you want some of the ravioli?" she motioned for him to bring his plate over. "Here, have some. It's delicious."

He pushed his plate over to hers and allowed her to put some of her food on his plate. "I feel like I should reciprocate. Would you like some of the steak?"

"If you think you can part with some of it, I won't argue. Sorry, I know it's not very proper of me, but I love to share things. My brothers were constantly taking food from my plate growing up."

"I don't mind. I like a woman who isn't afraid to eat."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I love food, and unfortunately it loves me, which is part of the reason I will definitely be running an extra mile tomorrow after all of this," she took another bite of food.

"I doubt that you'll need it. You weigh all of like 100 lbs soaking wet I'm sure," he chuckled.

"Ha, I wish. I've worked hard for this body and I won't give up now. I remember being the chubby kid growing up," she laughed. "You know Danny; you didn't have to do this, or the flowers. It really is too much."

"I wanted to. I've never really taken the time to spoil a woman. Somehow you brought that out in me," he smiled and began to eat.

"So, I think that I have to ask you the same question. Who do you like for sports?"

"New York all the way, Rangers, Nicks, Yankees, and Giants. I used to play a bit when I was in college. Almost went pro in baseball, but I hurt myself and had to quit. So, I turned to the Academy and forensics. I still go to the batting cages every once in a while though."

"You'll have to take me sometime," she grinned at him, "It's been a while though. I may be rusty."

"I'm sure you'll do just fine. If not, I'm sure I can teach you a thing or two," he replied as he took a bite of the ravioli, "You're right, this is amazing."

"I wouldn't lie about something like that."

"But other things?"

"Never anything important," she laughed.

"What made you go into art history?" he asked after a few minutes.

"I've always been the fanciful one in the family. Everyone else was so driven to do actual jobs. I have always loved art. When I graduated from high school, I traveled quite extensively around the world, which is part of the reason I am finishing my undergraduate degree so late. I've spent time in several different countries, studying their art and the people. I'm actually getting a minor in anthropology. I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with it, but I'm sure I will find something. I just wanted to do something that interested me."

"What was the most interesting place you've ever been?" he asked, smiling at the way her eyes lit up as she spoke.

"It's really difficult for me to choose one place. I absolutely loved Egypt and France. I spent a year in Rome and would love to go back there some day. They have wonderful history as well as art. Have you ever been to another country?"

"We spent some time in Italy. My grandparents came over to the U.S. when they were little and when I was twelve they took us on a trip over there. It was amazing, well at least what I can remember. It's been a while," he said with a laugh.

"Maybe someday we'll have to go back," she smiled at him. She was shocked at herself for making such an offer. She just met the man and yet here she was thinking about taking a trip overseas with him.

They ate dinner at a slow pace, savoring the food as well as getting to know one another. Sitting back he sighed, his stomach full and his heart beating wildly as he watched her get up and walk to the restroom. He blushed when she glanced back at him, catching him staring, a smile on her face.

Abby walked into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled and let out a small giggle. She hadn't been this happy in a long while and she was glad that she had given him a chance. Even if her original intention was to use him and never call him again, she was glad that things had changed and she was taking the time to get to know him. She quickly rinsed her mouth out with a bottle of mouthwash she carried in her purse and touched up her makeup, reapplying her lipstick.

She walked back to the table and sat down as the waiter approached asking if they wanted dessert. Abby shook her head, knowing she had already eaten too much, and Danny declined as well, they sat looking at one another as they waited for the check.

"So…" Danny began, he was nervous and that surprised him. He was never nervous around women. It was one of his strong suits. He was good with women. _Yeah, but not relationships_ he thought to himself.

"So, my friend plays in a band and they're having a show tonight. It's mostly jazz and old swing music. Do you maybe want to go and catch a few songs? Get some drinks?"

"That'd be great," he said handing over his credit card to the waiter and smiling. He loved that she took initiative and wasn't afraid to ask for what she wanted. He signed for the charges and stood up, draining the last of his wine. He walked over to her, pulling her seat out a bit so she could stand up. Offering his hand to her, he brought her knuckles to his lips, kissing them gently. She smiled at him and took his arm as he led her out of the restaurant.

* * *

The bar her friend Anthony was playing at wasn't very far from the restaurant, so they decided to walk. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and was happy when he felt her arm wrap around his waist, underneath his jacket. He clutched her tightly against him, not saying a word and enjoying how comfortable the silence was. She pulled away slightly as they neared the bar, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the bouncer and passing the long line of people waiting, all of them glaring at the couple.

"Hi Ramon!" she greeted the large man. "Is there room for two more?"

"For you, Abigail, there's always room," he said opening the door for them. "You two enjoy your evening."

Abby smiled at the man and pulled Danny through the door. He immediately liked the place. Although it was packed with people, the air flowed through, ruffling the fabric that hung from the ceiling and covered the walls in white and red. There were large tables with bench seating, a stage and a dance floor in the middle of the room. The bar was set to the right of the door and the wait staff was dressed in white shirts, black vests and bow ties. It was definitely a new setting for him. She pulled him through the crowd, her fingers entwined with his, glancing every so often back at him with a smile. She finally stopped at a table near the dance floor that had a reserved sign on it. He looked at her questioningly as she slid onto the seat behind the table.

"I was really hoping you would want to come so I asked Tony to grab us a table," she patted the seat next to her. "Join me?" she smiled as he slid onto the seat and moved close to her, his thigh brushing hers. He glanced up as a waitress walked up to them.

"Can I get you two anything to drink?"

"I'd love a Seven and Seven please," Abby said, looking at the girl who was obviously paying more attention to Danny.

Danny looked at her in surprise, it wasn't a normal girly drink and he came to the realization that she was going to keep him on his toes and keep him guessing at every turn. He placed his arm over the back of the seat behind Abby, his fingertips lightly rubbing the top of her left shoulder. "A Jack and Coke," he said with barely a glance at the waitress.

"I think you ruined her night," Abby said as the other woman walked away, a frown on her face. "She was hoping you'd ditch me for her," she leaned into his body and placed her hand on his thigh.

"Not a chance. You have me intrigued," he laughed as she rolled her eyes.

"Right, so I think we have more questions to answer," she said, handing her credit card to the waitress as she brought their drinks. At his protest, she cut him off, "You paid for drinks last night and I know that dinner was expensive. Let me get this. This is an equal opportunity relationship."

"So, this is a relationship huh?" he said taking a drink.

"Every interaction is a relationship Danny," she said taking back her card from the woman. "What comes of it is yet to be seen," she smirked at him. "So, my turn, why are you not married yet?"

"I guess, and I know this sounds cliché, but I guess I have never found the right woman to make me want to settle down," he paused and cleared his throat. "I thought I had, in my last relationship, I thought that could be it."

"What happened?"

"She just wasn't there when I needed her most I guess, and in a way I know it was my fault, I've just had some rough times recently and it caused a rift between us," he paused a moment before smiling at her. "What about you?"

"Oh I'm generally a jerk magnet," she laughed when he pulled away a bit. "Up until recently that is. I just haven't had much luck, and I'll be honest with you, I have some trust issues. I've been used one too many times," she leaned her head back against the top of the booth and took a deep breath. "My last boyfriend, where to start? Things started out okay and he treated me fine, unfortunately, he started to change. He got into drugs heavily and while we were in Russia, he was arrested for possession. He tried to get my family to pay for everything, like an attorney, and a place to stay. I paid; I thought he would learn his lesson and things would be better once we got back to the States. The charges dropped and once we got back home he took as much as he could and left. He wasn't the first to use me that way. Generally, once guys find out where I live and that I have money to spend, they expect me to pay for everything. It is refreshing for a man to invite me to dinner and actually end up paying. I get the 'oh I forgot my wallet' line a lot. So, I've spent the last couple of years on my own. You get cheated on and used too many times, you learn that it's better if you just stay away from the other sex and protect yourself. You are a rare breed of man in my opinion, Mr. Messer. I'm not sure what it is about you, but I feel like I can trust you," she smiled at him.

He didn't know what to say, his heart constricted as he thought of what he had done to Lindsay and Rikki. It was best to keep that quiet, but he knew that if things progressed he would have to tell her and hope that she wouldn't run away.

"So, I have another question." She took a drink and looked at him directly.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to dance?" she smiled at him as a slow song began to play.

"I don't know what to think of you," Danny said with a laugh. "You're playing a role reversal here." He stood up and offered his hand to her. She laced her fingers through his as he led her to the dance floor, thankful that there were several couples swaying to the music.

He pulled her close to him, inhaling her scent and sighing quietly. She wound her arm around his neck, her other locked in his hand in-between their bodies. His arm looped around her waist, pulling her close to him and she laid her head against his chest as they moved to the music. She could feel his fingers trailing up and down her spine and it made her shiver. Moving her fingers into his hair, she played with the fine strands that touched his collar. She thought about the last couple of days and was frightened by how she was feeling about him. She had only met him and yet she could envision spending the rest of her life with him. She had never felt this way this quickly about someone and she knew she needed to make sure she didn't move too fast with him. She needed to protect herself and make sure he wouldn't hurt her like all the others had before. On some level, she was very happy that he had left the way he had the night before. As the song began to end, she lifted her head and looked up at him, her breath caught in her chest as her eyes met his and she unconsciously licked her lips.

Danny looked into her hazel eyes and was amazed at their color, there were flecks of blue, green and brown and he was pulled into them. His gaze slipped down to her lips and as she licked them he couldn't help himself any longer, he lowered his mouth to hers and gently kissed her, his tongue searching for hers. He moaned and pulled her closer to him as he savored her taste. He drew away as the music faded away and the other couples began heading back to their seats, a faster song beginning to play.

"Wow," she muttered, smiling up at him. He smiled down at her and led the way back to their table. Sitting back down, Abby immediately leaned her body into his, her left hand on his face, her right on his thigh and kissed him again. She couldn't get enough of him; everything from the way he smelled to the way he tasted had her blood rushing through her veins. Danny groaned softly and putting his hand at the nape of her neck, he wrapped her hair around his hand and pulled her closer to him. To Abby, time felt as if it had stopped, there was nothing else besides them. It didn't matter where they were or who was around them, to them there was nothing besides each other. A cough in the distance brought her back to the present and she pulled away slowly, her eyes opening and staring directly into Danny's. She was unable to speak or look away, lost in their color and intensity. The cough sounded again in the distance. She finally looked away from him and in the direction of the sound.

"You're making the other people blush Abigail," a tall man said, a smile playing at the edges of his mouth. "And you're making me jealous."

Abby smiled and pulled out of Danny's grasp, leaning back against the seat. Danny looked at the man with a frown, _who the hell is this_ he thought to himself.

"Unfortunately for you, and fortunately for me, I don't think he's all that interested in men," she looked at him, her eyebrow raised. "Right?"

It took Danny a moment to clear his head and figure out what they were talking about, his mind still on Abby and her lips. His frown became deeper as he processed what she had said, "What?" he looked from Abby to the man, "Uh, no…only women for me."

"That's a shame," Anthony said with a smirk.

Abby burst out laughing, throwing her head back a hand pressed to her chest. "Oh Danny, the look on your face was priceless." Her laugh calmed down and giggling she finally continued. "Danny, I would like you to meet my friend Anthony. He's the sax player in this little band, his boyfriend plays the piano," she smiled and turned her attention to the other man, "Tony, I'd like you to meet Danny."

"It's nice to meet you Danny," Tony said, offering his hand to Danny, "I was just playing with you earlier."

"Nice to meet you," Danny took his hand and shook it.

"Tony, sit with us for a minute, you guys just taking a break? Or are you done?" Abby said, scooting over a bit for Tony to sit.

"I can't stay, we're done for the night, there's another band up soon. Steve has something planned. I came over to say hello, and according to Steve, I am supposed to leave quickly," he laughed. "Besides, you look like you are busy enough as is. I'll call you tomorrow, we'll get coffee or something, go shopping."

"Sounds good," she stood up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for the table, you guys sounded great tonight."

"Be safe and have fun," he said in her ear, hugging her quickly, "He's a hot one yeah?"

"Oh yeah," she smiled and pulled away. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Not too early!"

"I wouldn't dream of it. Nice to meet you Danny, we'll be seeing you around."

"Sounds good," Danny nodded at the man, his arm pulling Abby close as she sat back down next to him, watching Tony walk away.

"How long have you known him?" Danny asked her as she finished off her drink.

"Gosh, I met him the first weekend I was here at Saks," she laughed. "He saved me from making a poor shoe decision. So, that would be about six months?"

"Do you want to get out of here?" Danny asked. "Go someplace quieter?"

She watched him with an amused expression as he swallowed the last of his drink. "Think you're gonna get lucky tonight?" she smirked. "I don't know,you may have blown that chance last night."

"Nothing like that," he laughed, standing up and offering his hand to her. "I just want to go somewhere we can both be comfortable and talk more."

"I'd love to," she took his hand and slid out from behind the table. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, we are definitely closer to your place, but if you want we can head to mine, or maybe Central Park? I don't care."

"I've never been to Central Park at night. I've heard it's beautiful. How about we go there?" she grabbed her purse and looked up at him. Danny moved his hand to entwine their fingers together and smiling led them towards the door.

* * *

They had walked through Central Park for close to an hour before she began to yawn. The lack of sleep was starting to catch up to her.

"You should go home and get some sleep," Danny said, turning to her, his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" she smiled tiredly.

"No, I just don't want you to be mad at me when you're sick because you didn't sleep enough."

"Fine. You're probably right."

"Of course I am, I'm always right," Danny grabbed her hand in his again and started walking in the direction of her apartment building. "Come over tomorrow night, I'll cook you dinner."

"Not only do you send flowers and chocolate, you cook too?" she laughed. "Remind me to thank God that you aren't already taken."

"I never said it was any good."

"I'm sure it'll be wonderful. I'd love to have dinner tomorrow. Do you want me to bring anything?"

"Just yourself."

They continued the walk mostly in silence, the only conversation was where his address and how to get there. He offered to pick her up, but she told him that she wanted to learn her way around the city more. She would be fine.

"I'll walk you up," Danny said as they came to her building.

"You don't have to do that. I'll be fine."

"It wasn't a question, more of a statement," he laughed, thanking the doorman as he opened the door. He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear, "Besides I was hoping that I could get another one of those kisses."

She laughed as she pushed the elevator button and stepped through the doors, "I think we could arrange that."

The doors closed behind him as he stepped closer to her, his arms slipping around her waist, pulling her close. She looked up at him, her arms winding around his neck and she sighed as his lips met hers. The kiss was slow and tender, his tongue lightly running over her bottom lip, teasing her to open up for him. She moaned and pulled him closer as his tongue met hers, sending shivers throughout her body. The elevator chimed as they reached the 40th floor. He pulled away from her reluctantly and made his way towards her door, nodding with a smile at the elderly couple that entered the elevator after them.

Abby walked to her door and turned to look at him. She wanted to invite him in, but without the alcohol like the night before, she wasn't as brave.

"Thank you for a wonderful night Danny," she looked up at him. "It's been a long time since I have been treated as well as you have treated me," she paused glancing at the door. "I would invite you in, but I don't think I'm going to last much longer."

"Get some sleep," he laughed. "I want you to be wide awake when I make my next move on you."

"Hmmm…I'll be sure to get at least eight hours tonight then."

"Dinner at six tomorrow?" he asked, kissing her lightly on the lips.

"Mmhmm. I'll be there," she pulled him close kissing him deeply, pulling away reluctantly. "Good night Danny."

"Good night Abigail," he watched her walk through the door, her eyes catching his as she closed it, a smile on her face. He stood there until he heard the lock slide into place before heading back to the restaurant and the department truck, a smile on his face and the knowledge that for the first time in a long time he wasn't going to need a few drinks to go to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to Aphina for being a wonderful beta and helping me out with this, and to BrownEyedGirl75 as well, both of you are wonderful and I appreciate you. The bar that I am talking about is a creation of my own mind, I couldn't find one that I wanted to use, so you get mine lol. Thank you to everyone that has reviewed. I greatly appreciate it.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles  
And the heavens open every time she smiles  
I'm running to her, that's where I belong  
Yet I'm running to her like a river's song

She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love  
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love

Yes I need her, in the daytime, and  
Yes I need her, tonight  
Yes I want to throw my arms around her  
It makes me mellow, right down to my soul

"Crazy Love" by Jason Manns

* * *

She walked through the door to Danny's building taking in her surroundings. While not as lavish as her own building, she immediately felt comfortable, perhaps even more so than she did in her own home. In truth, she knew that it was because of her proximity to Danny. It was silly and even a bit corny, but in the short time that she had known him she had begun to associate him with happiness. With him she felt content and…

"Whole…" she whispered out loud, a small giggle passing her lips.

She continued her journey to Danny's door, glancing briefly at the address she had written down on a small piece of paper to make sure she had the correct place. Taking a deep breath she adjusted her dress quickly and knocked on the door. Waiting patiently she suddenly became aware of the absence of noise. Behind the door there was nothing…no sound, no rustle of someone moving, absolute silence.

_Maybe he's in the shower or something_, she thought to herself as she reached up to knock again, this time louder. She waited, to her estimate, another minute, the silence permeating the air around her.

"Stupid Abby," she said to herself quietly as she reached into her purse, "Call him, don't just stand here like an idiot!"

Abby pulled out her phone glancing at the screen to make sure there wasn't a missed call or a waiting voicemail. Seeing no indication on the screen she quickly scrolled through her contacts, located Danny's number, and hit send. She closed her eyes, her stomach clenching at the thought that he had changed his mind and was really just blowing her off. What was that book? _He's Just Not That into You_…that's it…if he doesn't call? He's just not that into you. But did that really fit this situation?

"No, you're just being an insecure idiot," she whispered as she listened to the ringing on the phone.

"_You've reached the phone of Detective Danny Messer, I can't get to the phone right now. Leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can,_" she heard his voicemail message pick up.

"Hey Danny, it's Abby. I'm outside your apartment right now and…well…obviously you aren't answering the door. Did I get the wrong time?" she glanced at her watch, she was sure he had said six o'clock, but she could have misheard him, "I'll hang out here a bit longer…call me when you get a chance. I'll talk to you later," she hung up the phone and looked around the hallway before leaning back against the wall and sliding down to the floor. She'd give him twenty minutes she figured. Anything longer than that wasn't worth it. At least not for her own ego.

* * *

Danny cursed as he walked out of the elevator glancing at his watch. He was late. It was after six o'clock, dinner obviously wasn't ready as he wasn't home, he had been stuck wrapping up some evidence in trace, and his cell phone battery had died so it was currently plugged into the wall outlet in his office so he hadn't been able to call Abby to let her know he was running behind.

He walked into the office and quickly unplugged the phone glancing at the screen with a quiet curse. One missed call and new voicemail. He grabbed his coat and dialed Abby's number quickly as he walked out of the door.

"Hello?" Abby answered

"Abby, it's Danny. I am so sorry, I got caught up and didn't have a phone, and…" he paused taking a deep breath. There was no use for excuses; the important thing was to find out if she was still interested in dinner.

"Danny, it's okay," Abby said with a small laugh, "I'll admit I was a little worried when you didn't answer your door that you had changed your mind, but I understand that you have a demanding job."

"I don't suppose there is any way that you are still there?"

"Would you think me pathetic if I said yes?" Abby leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, "Or do you have women sit outside your apartment door often?"

"No on both counts," he said with a laugh as he walked towards the subway.

"Well, then yes, I am still here," she smiled to a woman as she walked down the hallway.

"Can you give me like twenty minutes or so to get there?"

"Well…" she said with a dramatic sigh, "I suppose I could do that, but your cooking better be exceptional."

"Well, I don't know if I could call it exceptional," he said pausing at the top of the steps, "But I can guarantee it is a few steps above just being edible."

"Well, that's good enough I guess," she laughed.

Danny smiled at the sound, his heart beating a little faster because of it.

"I'm just heading down into the subway," he said, "I will be there as soon as I can."

"I'll see you soon Danny," Abby said before she hung up the phone.

* * *

Danny walked into the opening of his hallway, flowers in his hand and paused for a moment as his eyes fell on Abby. She was leaning against the wall next to his door, her legs bare and stretched straight out in front of her. He head was tilted back leaning against the wall, her eyes were closed and the only thing that he wanted to do was kiss the exposed skin below her ear.

As if sensing his presence, Abby slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look in his direction. A slow smile spread across her face and Danny couldn't help but to smile himself as he started walking towards her.

He stopped in front of her reaching out his hand to help her stand up. She was wearing heels which brought her closer to his height. He leaned in, kissing her gently on the lips, his eyes staying open and on hers.

"I'm sorry I am extremely late," he said in a soft voice as he pulled away. "I hope that these make up for it somewhat," he held out the bunch of mixed flowers to her.

"Flowers again?" she said taking them from him and smelling them, "You are setting a standard you won't be able to back away from later on,"

"I will keep that in mind," Danny said moving towards his door to unlock it, his arm sliding around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. He opened the door and gestured for her to go in before him.

Abby looked around the room, taking in everything and smiled at how completely masculine the space was and how so uniquely Danny it was.

"I know that it's nothing like the living in Trump Place but…" Abby placed her fingers over Danny's mouth, cutting him off.

"It's perfect," she smiled, leaning into him for a kiss. "Now, what about dinner?" she slid her hand down to her stomach. "I am starving!"

Danny laughed, set down his things on the counter and moved into the kitchen.

"How does pasta with homemade sauce sound?" he asked her as he opened up the refrigerator.

"Sounds wonderful," she reached for her purse that she had set on the counter, "and actually, it will be a great pairing with the bottle of Chianti I brought with me," she placed the bottle of wine on the counter. "Do you mind if I put this in the freezer to cool it off?"

"No," he said grabbing the bottle, "Here I'll put it in there, and you just sit and relax and let me treat you."

Abby sat on the bar stool and watched as he began to talk ingredients out of the refrigerator and set the water to boil for the pasta. She watched as he began to cut the tomatoes and added them to a pot with tomato sauce and garlic. It was mesmerizing to watch him move and extremely erotic to her that he would be as skilled in the kitchen as he was. Something about a man who knew how to cook was extremely sexy to her. She looked around the room and spotted a stereo.

"Do you mind if I put some music on?" she asked as she stood up.

"No, do whatever you like," he said glancing up at her with a smile. He watched her walk over to the stereo, his eyes roaming down over her body unashamedly. She glanced back over her shoulder and smiled at him.

She reached the stereo and glanced through his CD collection spotting one by Chris Botti. She slid the disk in and pressed play, adjusting the volume to a perfect level. She started walking back towards the kitchen. Pausing at the bar stool she slid off her heels and walked around the counter towards him, sliding her arms around his waist as he stirred the simmering pot of marinara.

"Let me help?" she murmured into his back, kissing his shoulder. "I feel like I should be doing something?"

Danny turned in her arms, his own winding around her body, pulling her closer.

"Please," she said leaning up to kiss him softly on the lips.

"Fine," he said with a sigh and a smile, "You can help with the salad."

"I'm a whiz with lettuce," she giggled as she pulled out of his arms.

* * *

They had worked together in tandem, moving around the small space in a slow, choreographed dance. He had watched her cut up vegetables to go into the salad. His heart had skipped a beat as he realized how much he wanted that view forever in his mind. She had stood barefoot in the kitchen, her elegant black dress hugging her body perfectly, her hair pulled away from her face, simple silver earrings and a necklace her only jewelry and he had been hit with such a strong wave of desire that he had to take a slow breath and release it.

They had eaten at the bar and the only thing that he could really remember was her laugh. The sound had filled the entire apartment and warmed the very depths of his soul and he suddenly realized that everything that he had been missing, had been wanting, had been needing was sitting right in front of him. And as clichéd as it sounded, he suddenly understood what people meant when they talked about love at first sight.

It went beyond simple desire and lust. It was an overwhelming need for that one person to always be there and the knowledge that that one person could change the entire world for the better.

He stood up and took the glass of wine out of her hand, setting it on the countertop, and pulled her to her feet. He pulled her further out into the open room and pulled her body flush against his as he began to move to the slow, weeping sound of the trumpet in the background.

Abby sighed as she felt her body mold against his. She leaned in closer to him, her head resting against his shoulder, her hand moving up to cover his heart. She could feel it beat beneath her fingers and she became entranced by the steady thumping beneath her palm, her own heart matching the rhythm of his.

She raised her head as his fingers moved under her chin to tilt her head up, his eyes looking down into hers. She could see his desire clearly through them and knew that that desire was matched in her own. She licked her lips slowly as he leaned his head down and captured her mouth with his.

She melted into the kiss. All thought escaped her and the only thing she could focus on was the feeling, taste, and texture of Danny.

"Stay with me," he whispered against her mouth.

Abby looked at him and pulled him in for another kiss, unable to express her answer any other way.

Danny pulled away, his hand running down her arm to grasp her hand in his own. He walked over to the door and made sure that it was locked. He continued around the room turning off lights the only communication between them through touch and eye contact.

He led her down a hallway towards his room and he lit candles on the dresser before turning back to her.

He walked towards her, backing her up towards the bed. He reached up and began pulling the pins out of her hair, letting it fall in tumbled waves onto her shoulders. After all of the pins had been removed he set them on the bed side table and gently ran his fingers through her soft tresses, lightly massaging her scalp.

Abby closed her eyes, leaned into his touch more and let out a soft moan, her hands running up his chest to his shoulders, grabbing onto him tighter for strength.

He slowly removed her dress and helped her divest of his own clothes before laying her down on the bed as he began to explore her body.

* * *

**AN:**

**Well, I know that it has been an outrageously long amount of time since I have done anything to this story and for that I am sorry. Real life has been incredibly busy and that's the only excuse that I have. I cannot guarantee that I will post quickly, but I am still working on this, it's just I have 27 college credits this semester and it is my last one before graduation! YIPEE! Anyway, if I still have anyone reading this, I apologize for the long wait. **

**I hope that you enjoyed it. For some reason it just hit me tonight and I had to write something. Please read and review if you could. **

**Thank you!**

**Mauveine  
**


	7. Chapter 7

_You look so beautiful tonight_

_Reminds me how you laid us down_

_And gently smiled before you destroyed my life_

_Would you find it in your heart_

_To make this go away_

_And let me rest in pieces_

_Look at me, my depth perception must be off again_

_You got much closer than I thought you did _

_I'm in your reach_

_You held me in your hands_

_Saliva – Rest in Pieces_

_

* * *

  
_

_14 weeks later_

Abby stood in the kitchen of her apartment, soft jazz music playing in the background, stirring the marinara sauce for their dinner. Tonight would be the first night she attempted to make homemade sauce, a recipe she had found in an old box Danny's grandmother had left him. She took a drink of her wine before grabbing the bottle and a second glass to place on the dining room table. She set the items down on the snow-white tablecloth, repositioning them a few times before she was satisfied. She was determined to make tonight special. Danny had been so completely busy at work that tonight would be the first time in weeks that he had made it home in time for dinner. She walked around the room lighting candles and repositioning the bouquet of flowers she had purchased earlier that day in the crystal vase on the table. She took a step back appraising her work critically. When she was finally satisfied that everything was in its place she walked back into her, well to be honest, their bedroom and walked into the closet to find something to wear.

Danny slowly walked down the hallway to the apartment, not completely focused on what he was doing and only halfway sure of where he was. He stepped up to the door and stopped short of putting his key into the lock. He turned around and leaned against the door, sighing softly. He could hear the soft strains of music float through the wood as he leaned his head back against the door, his eyes closed. His day had been completely messed up and he wasn't sure if he had been able to wrap his head around the events. He took a deep breath and turned back around, sliding the key into the lock and slowly opening the door.

The scent of the sauce hit him first, followed by the light scent the candles and flowers had let out into the room. His eyes scanned the room and he let out a deep breath he had been holding as he shut the door behind him. He walked over to the banquet table by the door and set down his keys. His eyes passed over the picture frames that covered the top of the table. It showed their short time together. There were pictures of them on the Circle Line cruise around the island, at the Statue of Liberty, standing outside of the MET, kissing in Central Park, and more importantly a picture of himself, Abby, and Don at a basketball game the previous weekend.

"Abby?" he called out softly, his eyes scanning the room for her. He smiled when he saw her step out of the bedroom. She was dressed in a floor length black skirt and form fitting, long sleeved maroon top. Her feet were bare and he laughed quietly when he noticed that her toenails matched the color of her shirt. _Leave it to her to match everything,_ he thought to himself. He knew that if he were to peel away the layers her underwear would match as well, if she even had any on. He stood completely still, his mind blank, as he watched her walk towards him, her face brighter with each passing moment as her smile spread across her face and her eyes sparkled with delight.

"You're home!" she said grabbing him and pulling him into a hug. His arms wrapped around her body and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo and perfume. He pulled away slightly, without saying a word, and gently kissed her.

"I missed you," Abby said as she pulled away to look at him. "I hope you're hungry," she gestured towards the table full of food, "I think I may have gone a bit overboard."

"I'm starving," Danny replied, hanging up his coat in the closet before he moved towards the dining room table. "It looks wonderful in here and smells even better."

"I called my mom a few hundred times to make sure I understood the directions," Abby said with a laugh as she carried the plates over to the table. "If it's not right, we'll blame her since she was the ultimate decider many times. Just don't tell her I told you that."

"My lips are sealed," Danny sat in his seat heavily.

"Are you okay?" Abby asked as she poured them both a glass of wine.

"Yeah," Danny replied quickly as he grabbed his glass and took a large drink from it.

Abby watched him, a frown on her face. She knew something was bothering him, but she didn't want to pressure him. She had learned that it was best not to ask him about issues at work. He seemed to go into too much detail and it certainly wasn't something she wanted to hear about over dinner. So instead, they sat in silence, the only noise in the room the music playing in the background and the sound of silverware on the dishes.

After dinner, they moved into the living room and Abby watched as Danny sat on the couch, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. She walked over to him quietly, her gaze never leaving his face. Once she reached the couch, she climbed into his lap, her knees on either side of his hips, her body pressed fully against his. She leaned forward, kissed each of his eyelids gently, and sighed as she felt his hands run up her thighs under her skirt. She pulled away and looked down at him; his eyes finally open, staring into her own.

Danny ran his hands around to the back of her thighs and sliding them under her ass, he groaned, as his earlier assumptions about the lack of underwear were proven correct. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his own and felt her melt into his body, her hips moving slowly against his, searching for some kind of release.

"Danny," she moaned, her lips moving down his chin to his neck.

He wasn't sure what it was exactly that snapped him out of his trance. He didn't know if it was the sound of her voice, her lips on his skin near the base of his ear, or the actual realization that he was one-step away from dragging her to the floor to fuck her senseless, but something brought him back to reality and he pulled away from her.

"Danny?" she said his name again, this time pleasure was replaced with hurt and questioning. She watched as he shook his head, pushed her completely off his body, stood up, and walked over to the windows overlooking the city. She stood up, pushing her skirt back down and running a hand through her hair as she looked at him. She hesitated for a moment, as she watched him roughly run his hands through his hair, before he placed his hands flat on the window as if bracing himself.

"Danny?" she walked slowly towards him before reaching out a hand and placing it on his shoulder. Her heart broke as he moved slightly out of her reach. "I don't…" her voice betrayed her and cracked, "I don't understand what's wrong. Did I do something wrong? Did you have a bad day at work?"

Danny took a deep breath and turned to look at her. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think or what to expect. It was as if every appalling thing he had done in his life came back to haunt him. Every mistake he made never went away, it only festered silently before coming to a head and exploding.

"We need to talk about some things," he said, letting out a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding.

"That's never good and something I thought only women were supposed to say," she said, letting out a nervous laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood, hoping that this was all just some kind of cruel joke.

Danny looked back out over the city, a city that even with over eight million people; you could never seem to run away from your problems.

"We should probably sit down," he said walking back towards the couch.

"You know? I think I'm fine just standing here," Abby said crossing her arms and slightly hugging herself. The pain in her chest was becoming unbearable. It was amazing to her that the same excited tingling in your chest and heart that you felt when you first met someone new could change so drastically and become so painful. She watched as Danny nodded his head and sat on the couch and she leaned back against the window in an attempt to support herself as she waited for him to begin talking.

"You remember me telling you about Lindsay right?" he began, leaning his elbows on his knees and looking down at the ground.

"Yes," she said her voice barely a whisper. She wasn't sure where this was going, she just knew that no matter which way she spun the scenario it wasn't going to be good.

"She's pregnant," he said softly and Abby couldn't completely grasp what he was saying. She heard the words, but she wasn't exactly sure at that time what that meant to her. "It's mine," Danny continued, and it was at that moment that a million things ran through her head.

"How far along is she?" she asked as she chanted to herself for it to be longer than four months.

"About three and a half months," he said as he buried his head in his hands.

"Three and a half months, but…" she trailed off as the timing hit her. They had first met close to four months ago they had slept together just shy of three and a half months ago. She felt her body slide down the window as she fell to the floor. She buried her face in her hands and sucked in a deep breath. She didn't know how to handle the information. How could she handle it? The man who spent his nights with her, his body wrapped around hers, proclaiming his love to her, had just dropped a bomb on her.

"Abby?" Danny said, looking up at her, his heart breaking.

"Just…just give me a minute…okay?" she said breathlessly, he nodded his head.

Abby took a deep breath and leaned her head against the window, attempting to pull herself together. She didn't have all of the information; she didn't know exactly what was happen. _There's no reason to freak out now, Abigail!_ She thought to herself.

"When…I mean, I thought we…" she tried to form a coherent question and was unsuccessful. She only hoped that Danny would understand what she was trying to ask him.

"It happened shortly after we met," Danny replied as he stood and walked over to where she was sitting. He sat on the floor in front of her, crossing his legs. "We hadn't really gotten that involved," he knew that was a stupid thing to say the moment his eyes met hers. "I don't have an excuse…we…I just…I messed up, I needed someone and at that second she was there. I don't know what to say…"

"What are you going to do about it? What's going to happen with you and her? With you and I?" Abby asked him quietly.

"I don't know," Danny replied honestly, shaking his head. It was still too much for him to figure out. His honesty was another dagger to her heart. She knew she was being unreasonable and unfair to Lindsay, but the fact that he was even questioning what was going to happen and who he was going to ultimately be with hurt her deeper than she ever thought possible.

"Abby…" he reached out and took her hands in his, "I do love yo…"

"No...." she said pulling her hands out of his. "Don't say it. Not right now."

"Okay, but I do…" he trailed off as she glared at him and stood up, he stood up with her. "I just need some time to sort this all out," he said. Abby nodded her head, wrapping her arms around her body again.

"I really think that maybe you should leave," she said quietly, unable to meet his eyes.

"Alright," Danny replied. "It'll give us some time to think this over and figure some things out," he walked towards the closet to grab his coat. "I'm sor…"

"I don't want your apologies right now…I just…" Abby trailed off and angrily wiped away a tear that slid down her cheek.

"I will call you tomorrow," Danny whispered as he leaned in to give her a gentle kiss. Abby turned her head to the side, his lips hit her temple instead, and she felt the tears pushing more insistently at her eyelids, trying to escape. She didn't respond. Danny opened the door and quietly said, "I love you," before closing it behind him.

Abby slid the locks into place before she slid down the door and broke down into tears.

Danny could hear her sobs through the doorway as he leaned his forehead against the cool wood. He closed his eyes, his hands beside his head, and let out a deep breath as a tear rolled down his cheek. He did love her, of that, he was completely sure. They had moved quickly with their relationship, but he had never questioned their actions or his feelings for her. Yet, he was torn. He loved Lindsay, although not with the same intensity as Abby perhaps. He had mistreated her throughout the course of their relationship. He had repeatedly cheated on her with Rikki, had ignored her, hell…he had even missed her birthday. Danny knew, deep inside, that Lindsay had tried to be there for him and help him deal with his grief after Ruben's death and yet he had continually pushed her away.

He looked at the doorway and realized that hurting people he loved was something he regrettably was good at doing and he seemed to do it often. What was he supposed to do? He was torn in two different directions with no clear idea on how to put it all back together.

He pushed away from the door and with a final look; he walked away, his fingers slowly trailing away from the wood. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number as he stepped into the elevator.

"Hey," he said, clearing his throat. "Can you meet me somewhere?" he pushed the button for the ground floor as he waited for a response from the other end. "Yeah, I can be there in twenty," he watched the doors close. "I'll see ya in a few," he pushed the end button, zipped up his jacket, and watched the numbers on the display as the elevator made its decent.

* * *

Abby slowly stood, wiping the traces of tears from her cheeks. She looked around the room, the remnants of the evening lying around as a constant reminder of what her life had been like a mere forty-five minutes earlier. She took a stuttered breath as a wave of sorrow came over her and she began to blow out the candles that surrounded the room. She would leave the rest for later.

She walked into her bedroom and began shedding her clothes, dropping them on the floor haphazardly. She thought that maybe a shower would help wash away the pain. She let out a bitter laugh; maybe she would wash the entire experience away; feelings, dreams, desires and all. She stepped beneath the hot water, tilting her head back, her face pointing towards the showerhead, allowing the hot water to beat against her face. She could handle this, she thought. Maybe she was just being overly melodramatic.

She opened her eyes and looked around the shower, perhaps she was looking for a way to bring herself back to Earth, or just to distract herself. It was a ridiculous idea, that she would be able to push the emotions back down into herself, that she would somehow be able to mend her heart within a few short minutes. How completely stupid was she? How many times did she have to fall for the same line? She smacked her hand against the tile of the shower. He _knew_ she had been hurt before. He _knew_ that she was putting herself out on a limb to trust someone romantically again and still he took advantage of everything she offered, and what was her repayment? Nothing but heartache again. Her eyes fell on a bottle of Danny's favorite body wash and her precariously rebuilt wall of sanity took a direct hit. She abruptly shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, her body beginning to shake from the burst of cold air and the pent up emotions. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked towards the mirror.

She looked awful; she decided as she picked up her brush and quickly ran it through her hair. She grabbed a hair band and quickly pulled her hair back before turning away from her reflection and walking back into her bedroom. She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the floor. She couldn't understand what was happening. She hadn't given it enough time; she hadn't collected enough information to understand the situation she had been thrown into. She had allowed herself to be ruled by her emotions and she wasn't even aware of what her choices really were.

She stood and walked into her closet and pulled on the first pair of jeans she could grab and an old NYU sweatshirt before sliding on a pair of ballet flats and walking out into the living room. She grabbed her cell phone, keys, and purse before walking out of her apartment, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Danny sat at the bar, his fingers wrapped around his third glass of whiskey. He barely looked up as he felt the barstool next to him move and someone sit down next to him.

"You look like shit," he heard Don say as he settled next to him and signaled for the bartender. He didn't respond.

"Danny…" Don's voice trailed off, concern working its way into his tone.

Danny shook his head and took another drink. Don looked at him closely. It had been a while since he had seen Danny look so utterly dejected. In fact, the last time he had seen him this way was just before Abby had come into his life.

"What's goin' on Danny?" Don asked him quietly. Danny raised his head and finally met Don's eyes. Don was shocked to see his friend had been crying.

"Lindsay's pregnant…" Danny took another drink. "She says it's mine, which I don't doubt, but I..." he trailed off and shook his head. "I just wasn't expecting this to happen."

"How far along is she?" Don asked as he downed his drink in one gulp.

"Three and a half months," Danny muttered as he finished his drink and signaled for another. He looked away as he saw the mathematical realization pass over Don's face.

"Did you tell Abby?" Don asked him and sighed when Danny nodded his head. Don didn't know what else to say. He had developed a close relationship with Abby over the last four months and he felt very protective of her. It was taking everything he had not to stand up for the woman he viewed as his little sister and almost everything in him wanted to drag Danny out by the collar of his shirt and beat the shit out of him on the sidewalk. He ran his hands through his hair.

"I know you know Don," Danny said quietly. "I'm not going to try and make excuses. I fucked up majorly, and now I am being punished for it," he wiped an errant tear off his cheek. "But, while my heart is breaking on one hand? It's joyous on the other because…" he looked directly into Don's eyes, "I'm going to be a father."

Don wasn't sure how to respond. He was excited for Danny to be sure and yet he was completely disappointed in him. One look at his face made it clear that disappointment was the one thing Danny wouldn't be able to handle at this point in time. He would make it up to Abby later.

"Shit…that poor kids gonna have to stare at your ugly mug for his whole life? That's gotta be cruel and unusual punishment," Don said, cracking a smile. "I thought we weren't constitutionally allowed to do that."

Danny smiled and let out a laugh as he felt a small bit of the weight lift from his shoulders.

* * *

Abby looked out the window of the taxi she was sitting in, staring at the building in front of her. The driver cleared his throat, snapping her out of her trance. She looked at him apologetically and paid him before mumbling a quick thank you and getting out onto the sidewalk.

She stood in front of the building, double-checking the address she had so painstakingly procured, attempting to build up her confidence. She shook her head, wondering at what point she had lost her fierce go for it attitude and had become the shell she now saw herself as being. She pulled open the door and walked into the lobby area, looking for an elevator. When she realized the building didn't have one, she sighed and pulled open the door leading to the stairway. At least it would give her some time to think.

She slowly walked up the stairs, steeling herself for what she was about to do. Looking at the piece of paper in her hands a second time to verify the apartment number, she stepped out into the fifth floor hallway, and looked at the doors for number 5327. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door and fidgeted with the edge of her sweatshirt while she waited for someone to answer. She looked up as the door opened and met the eyes of a shocked Lindsay Monroe.

Abby followed Lindsay into her apartment and glanced around the cozy interior. Her eyes fell on a picture of Lindsay and Danny sitting on the table and she felt another stab into her heart.

"How did you know where I lived?" Lindsay asked as she sat on a chair and gestured for Abby to sit as well.

"By less than legal means I'm afraid," Abby shook her head. "I have a friend who is good with computers," she laughed slightly. "I guess I failed to realize that I was coming to see a cop."

"I'm not mad, just curious about why you are here," Lindsay leaned back in the chair, her hands held tightly together on her lap. Abby, raised her eyes, and Lindsay could see the pain radiating out through them.

"Danny…he told me that you are pregnant," she looked back at the ground for a brief second. "I…" she sighed and closed her eyes, "congratulations."

Lindsay wasn't exactly sure what to say. She knew now that Abby and Danny had been seeing one another when she ultimately had become pregnant.

"I'm sorry Abby. I…I honestly didn't know at the time that you and him were seeing one another."

"No," Abby looked up angry. "Don't apologize to me. I…" she broke off, not sure what she wanted to say. She shook her head resignedly. "I don't blame you…I really don't," she looked at Lindsay. "I just want to know what you want…what you really want. Honestly…please….just" her voice broke, "just tell me the truth."

"Okay," Lindsay replied as she stood up. "I want Danny. God knows why!" she ran her hands through her hair. "He is insufferable…he is…" she broke down. "He is going to be the father of my baby and I just can't imagine not having him completely in our lives. I love him," she turned around and looked at Abby. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I am so sorry."

"No…I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I ever fell in love with Danny. I'm sorry that I ever got mixed up in this little triangle and that I ever…" Abby stood up and walked over to Lindsay. "I'm not going to stand in your way. I'm not going to fight you for a man who is the father of your child." She turned to walk towards the door. "I wish you luck Lindsay. I wish you a truly happy life with a truly healthy and beautiful child. I won't stand in your way," she opened the door and closed it softly behind her.

She took a deep breath and began the trek back down the stairs…her journey was only just beginning and this time…this time she wasn't going to be the loser.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I do appreciate it all and I am sorry that I didn't get a chance to individually respond. I will try to do better next time! Especially since school is almost over! Only 4 more weeks!**

**I am at a bit of an empass with this story. I am torn between dragging things out a bit and getting Danny and Abby to try and work things out or maybe getting her involved (SLOWLY) with someone else while having to deal with the fall out from her realtionship with Danny. What are your thoughts? Anything would be appreciated!**

**Again I would LOVE reviews from everyone! Especially those of you who are lurking out there. The adds and alerts are appreciated as well, but I want to know your actual thoughts on the story.**

**I will update as soon as I can. **

**~Always~**

**Mauveine  
**


	8. Chapter 8

_Looking at you makes it harder_

_But I know that you'll find another_

_That doesn't always make you wanna cry_

_It started with the perfect kiss then_

_We could feel the poison set in_

_"Perfect" couldn't keep this love alive_

_You know that I love you so_

_I love you enough to let you go_

_I want you to know_

_It doesn't matter where we take this road_

_Someone's gotta go_

_And I want you to know_

_You couldn't have loved me better_

_But I want you to move on_

_So I'm already gone_

_Kelly Clarkson – Already Gone_

_

* * *

_Abby wasn't entirely sure how she had made it back to her apartment. It was almost as if she had been sleepwalking and woke the moment her eyes hit the number on her apartment door. Taking a deep breath, she unlocked the door and stepped into the room, silently closing the door behind her. She turned around and frowned as she took in the state of her apartment. It was clean. Everything had been put away, dishes had been washed, and food had been cleared.

"I wasn't sure you were going to come home," a voice said from behind her.

Abby sighed and turned around to look at Danny. He stood up from his position on the couch and took a tentative step towards her before stopping, his hands in his pockets.

"I know you told me to leave, but…" he trailed off, his frustration clear as he pulled off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his face and up into his hair.

"It's okay…" Abby walked towards him. "We should probably talk anyway," she said as she stepped up in front of him. Danny slid his glasses back on and it took everything in him not to pull her into his arms. Instead, he gestured towards the couch and followed behind her as she took a seat. They sat like that for what seemed like an eternity before Abby finally figured out what she wanted to say to him.

"I went to see Lindsay tonight," she said quietly, her eyes staring out the window at the lights of the city.

"You did?" Danny was immediately worried about what she might have done.

"Don't sound so shocked or fearful," she said looking at him, "I didn't do anything rash," she looked back outside. "I just wanted to talk to her."

"I wasn't…" he trailed off when she looked at him, her eyebrow raised. "Okay…I'll admit the idea of you and Lindsay in the same room scares the shit out of me." He looked at her shocked when she let out a quiet laugh.

"Well, it's nice to know that you think I could do some damage if not take her," Abby smiled slightly before it quickly faded away. "Danny…" she started, her voice fading. "I don't know what to say."

"Where do we go from here?" he asked, looking at the floor.

"I don't think I can answer that Danny. It has to be what you want," she shook her head in an attempt to fight off the impending tears. "I understand what happened with you and Lindsay, and honestly I…It hurt like hell Danny…" she wiped a tear away, "but then I realized that I had no claim over you. We weren't anything more than a new fling to one another at that moment in time."

"I am still sorry for everything," Danny placed his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.

"Danny…" she hesitantly reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. She continued once he looked up at her. "Danny…I forgive you even though I don't really have anything to forgive. I know it's what you need to hear regardless of that," she moved closer to him. "You are a good man Danny, and although it's not the situation I would have chosen to be placed in, you need to make a choice and I need to be honest with you," she felt the tears roll down her cheeks as she sucked in a breath.

Danny reached out to brush away the moisture from her cheeks and he felt his eyes tear up in spite of himself. He had never wished to be placed into this situation. He had never wanted to hurt her, or Lindsay for that matter, and yet he had. A tear spilled out over his eyelid and slid like a conspirator down his cheek. Abby leaned into the palm of his hand briefly before leaning forward to place her forehead against his, her eyes closing.

"I know that you need to be there for Lindsay and the baby. I know that they will forever be a part of your life and I…,"she whispered before taking a deep breath. "I don't think I can handle that right now. I know it may seem selfish of me, but I don't think I can watch another woman carry your baby…I love you Danny….and it is because I love you I am letting you go. You need to be in their lives…" she broke down into sobs, pulling away from Danny and burying her face in her hands.

Danny reached out and gently pulled her hands away from her face. Reaching out he brushed a strand of hair that had fallen lose away from her forehead and ran his hand gently down the side of her face from her temple to her chin. Sliding his fingers under her chin, he leaned in and captured her mouth with his own. He could feel her stiffen slightly before she relaxed and leaned into him, her mouth opening under his, her tongue seeking out his own. He could taste the mixture of salt from both of their tears and as he heard himself moan, he pulled her body closer to his own, his hands moving to release her hair from the band holding it captive. He tossed the hair band to the floor and plunged his hands into her hair, grabbing it gently and tugging her head back to give him access to her throat. She reached for him and tugged his shirt over his head, whimpering when his lips were forced to leave her skin briefly. When her hands worked their way down to his belt buckle he stood quickly, picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

He set her gently on the bed before divesting himself of his undershirt, his shoes, socks, and belt. He watched as she pulled the sweatshirt over her head and his mouth went dry as her body became fully on display for him. He knelt down in front of her, slid off her shoes and began to run his hands up the length of her legs before unbuttoning her jeans and sliding them down her hips and legs, pulling them quickly off her body. She moved further onto the bed, pulling the blankets back with her. Danny climbed up onto the bed and sat still as she pulled off his glasses and dog tags, setting them gently onto the bedside table. She pulled off his boxers and sighed as he laid her back onto the pillows, his body coming to rest fully on top of hers. He continued to kiss and tease her skin with soft, gentle touches, torturing her by denying her the one thing she wanted the most. When he finally gave into her, her mind went completely blank and she lost herself to him.

* * *

Abby woke up the next morning as the light of the sun hit her fully in the face. Groaning she rolled over and slowly opened her eyes to look at her alarm clock. She frowned at the little machine's numbers and rolled over expecting to see Danny lying in bed beside her. Finding his side of the bed empty and cold, she sat up confused as the previous evening's events came back to her. She ran her hands through her hair, grimacing as several tangled knots stopped her. A white piece of paper on the other pillow caught her attention and she stared at it for several moments, afraid of what she was going to read. She picked the paper up and was surprised to see Danny's dog tags underneath it. She clutched them in her hand as she began to read the note.

_My dearest Abigail,_

_I never thought that I would ever be writing you a letter like this and yet it is as if my worst nightmare has come true and here I am. I am watching you sleep right now and it is taking everything in me to not climb back into bed with you and forget this day ever happened._

_I never meant to hurt you and I hope that someday you will believe me when I say I'm sorry. I know that you say you don't blame me for what has happened, but I know that I messed up a good thing and now I have to deal with the consequences._

_I want to thank you for giving me the best four months of my life and although our time together was short, I will always love you and if you need me, I will always be there. I understand now that we could have been something great together. I will miss you desperately._

_I know that you will move on. You deserve someone who will completely recognize how wonderful you are immediately and will be able to make you completely happy. You are an incredibly intelligent, caring, loving woman who I am thankful I had the pleasure and opportunity to know. You will do wonderful things in this world Abby, truly wonderful things._

_I respect you completely and I understand your feelings on this whole mess I have gotten us into. Because of this, I will let you go. I won't try to keep you in my life in order to make myself feel better when I know that the entire time you will be hurting. I love you Abby that will never change. For a brief moment in time, you were my world and for once, that world was great._

_I know this is a lame symbol of my affection, but I want you to keep the dog tags. I can't think of a time I haven't worn them. They were my grandfather's from WWII. I want you to have them, either to focus your hat e on or to remember me by._

_I love you Abigail Payne, don't ever forget that. Please._

_Love always,_

_Danny_

Abby, held the dog tags to her heart for a moment before sliding them on over her head. She stood up, walked over to her dresser, and folding the letter gently, she placed inside of her memory box. She looked into her mirror and watched a tear roll down her cheek. After a moment she wiped it away, closed the box and turned to walk into her bathroom. She sat down on the edge of the bathtub and began to brush her hair gently.

She looked around the room, her eyes taking in everything in the room. All of Danny's things had been removed. The only trace of him, the dog tags around her neck. The only thing she could think of was that she wasn't sure she would be able to stay here. While the memories would fade, she wasn't sure she could handle the amount of time it would take. As she turned on the shower and stepped under the water, she decided that she should start looking for a new place to live.

* * *

_Three Days Later_

"We have a fitness room, children's playroom, and a roof deck for you to use. The apartment we are going to look at includes a terrace that is approximately 120 sq. ft. with views to the west and north. The apartment has two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a laundry room, and a walk-in closet," the sales woman at the Georgica was leading the way to the elevators at the back of the lobby. Abby looked around the new building happy with how light it looked even if construction workers were still completing the final touches. Abby stepped into the elevator with Don and watched as the woman pressed the button for the twelfth floor.

"We will be looking at unit 12B today," she stated as the elevator doors opened. She walked to the door and unlocking it gestured for Abby and Don to enter. "Go ahead and take a look around, let me know if you have any questions."

Abby looked around the foyer with a smile, there was a large closet to her left and a well-appointed bathroom with marble floors and counters to her right. She continued her journey into the apartment silent as she took in the floor to ceiling windows, the wood floors, beautiful kitchen, and stunning views. She stopped and turned to look at Don as he let out a low whistle.

"Three of my apartments could fit in this one Abby," he said as he looked around the room. Abby looked up at his face and laughed.

"Yeah, well, not everyone lives in a shoebox Flack," she said walking out onto the terrace.

"Touché, Abby, touché," Don replied following her out. He leaned back on the railing and looked at her. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, it's only been a few days. Aren't you afraid that you are acting purely on emotion?"

"I'm sure," She sighed and leaned on the banister to look out over the city towards the park. "And I know that I am acting on emotion, but…" she faded out for a bit. "I just….I just need a change, and I've been wanting to buy a place here. The market has lowered significantly, so why not?"

"How do you even begin to afford a place like this?" Don asked as he stepped next to her.

"I have a fairly substantial inheritance from my grandfather. I was just holding on to it, but…it would do better in real estate than in the bank. Especially here in New York," she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Plus I could always get a roommate. You know," she smiled, "you could move in here with me. We could look at a three bedroom if you want." She laughed at the look on Don's face. "Think about it. We could get Maggie and we could all live together. It would be great!"

"Abby, really…come on. You're being ridiculous. There's no way that I could afford to pay anywhere near a third of the cost to live here." Don turned to walk back into the apartment. "Besides, I already have a place."

"Yeah…a self-proclaimed shit hole Don. Besides, I would never expect you to pay that much in rent. I told you," she tugged on his arm to get him to turn around, "I have enough money to pay for this. I'll probably get a small mortgage for the tax write-off and be happy with it. I wouldn't expect you or Maggie to pay me…" she raised a hand to cut off his protest, "but I know that you wouldn't be happy otherwise. Therefore, we make a compromise. What do you pay now in rent?"

"Twenty-one hundred," Don said with a sigh.

"Really?" she wrinkled her nose. "For that…" she trailed off. "Sorry," Don laughed quietly. "How about we get a place and you pay me like, I don't know…fifteen hundred?" She watched as Don contemplated the six hundred dollar reduction in rent for a 99% increase in living conditions. "Don't say anything yet, let's go look at a four bedroom. I know Maggie won't say no…she's struggling as is."

"Abby, I don't want to be your charity case," Don said with a tinge of anger and hurt in his voice.

"Don," she placed her hands on his forearms, "I don't think of you as a charity case. I think of you as a best friend that I want to be around more. I see you as a big, strong detective who can be my security system. I see you as my fourth brother and…" she stepped back from him. "I need people around me right now. You need a new place, admit it. This is a win-win situation."

Don looked at her, understanding the pain she was in and relented. "Fine, but I don't want you all bitchin' when I have a girl here."

Abby smiled as she began her search for the sales woman, "Just leave a tie on the door knob…and we'll make sure to put you at the back of the apartment, away from everyone else."

"So what do you think?" the sales woman asked as they came into view.

"I'd like to see a four bedroom if possible," Abby stated and watched as the woman's face lit up with glee.

* * *

Don walked into the station later that day and was surprised to see Danny sitting at his desk. He walked towards his friend unsure of how this was all going to play out. Being in the center of two people he cared deeply for was a struggle.

"Hey man, I didn't think you worked today," Don said as he reached his desk.

"I don't, I just wanted to talk to you," Danny stood and relinquished the chair back to Don. "That chair sucks man."

"Yeah, well, unlike you, I don't sit on my ass all day long, I actually work for a living so I could care less about the damn chair," he clapped Danny on the shoulder as he took a seat.

"Funny, Flack, you been working on your comedy routine long?"

"Save it just for you Messer, just for you," he pulled off his side arm and placed it in the drawer of his desk, locking it and sliding the key into his pocket. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering if you had talked to Abby at all in the last couple of days." Danny pulled another chair up and sat across from Don. Don sighed.

"Yeah, actually I just was with her."

"Oh yeah?" Danny picked up a paperclip and started playing with it.

"Yeah…" Don looked at Danny and sighed, "She's moving."

Danny looked up quickly, shock and concern on his face. "What? Not back to Colorado is she?"

"No, nothing like that," Don stated. "She's buying a place at that new building, the Georgica, on 2nd and 85th. I went with her to look at the apartment." Don played with the corner of a pad of paper unsure how to tell Danny the next part. "She's gonna have Maggie move in with her and she was wanting another roommate maybe."

"Oh? Who else was she thinking?" Danny knew he was digging for information, but he was lost not knowing what she was doing.

"Me…" Don trailed off and looked at Danny.

"You?" Danny looked at Don incredulously. "You've already got a place…You and her? You're not…" Danny trailed off.

"What? No!" Don stated quickly. "I never…no. It's just a roommate deal. My place isn't the greatest and she's offering me a reduction in rent and an awesome place to live so…" he leaned back in his chair. "I haven't said yes or no yet really."

"You should," Danny said, relief evident in his voice. "At least I would…" he stopped short.

"Be able to keep tabs on her through me?" Don wanted to laugh at the guilt that worked its way onto Danny's face. "Messer, I'm not going to be your lackey. I know it sucks that you two broke up, but…" he trailed off before deciding it needed to be said. "You made your choice man, and you made the honorable one, but pining over Abby isn't going to make things better and it's not going to make your relationship with Lindsay any easier. You've gotta let it go man," Don said standing and clapping Danny on the shoulder.

"Yeah, you're right…" he stood up, "I just…It's gonna take some time,"

"I know, just focus on that baby that's coming. You know the due date yet?" Don knew he needed to distract Danny and he figured although related, the baby was the best way to do that.

* * *

**A/N: Well....two chapters in less than forever lol. I was on a roll and I already have chapter nine started. **

**Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! As I have said before, I truly appreciate them! Please continue! And to those of you who added me to your alerts? It is greatly appreciated as well!  
**

**I am fairly happy with this chapter and I hope you all like it as well. I think that there will definitely be some angst in the future chapters so, be prepared, it won't all be lovey dovey right away**

**Again, please review and let me know what you think!**

**If you would like to look at the Georgica (which is a real building), you can go to their web site at georgicalife .com  
**

**It is like 3:30 a.m. so I need to go to bed, but I will work on the next chapter and try to get it out quickly**

**Thank you again!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

_It's never easy and you never know_

_What leaves you crying and what makes you whole_

_There ain't no way that I can hold it down_

_Falling to pieces forever in doubt_

_But it's alright, why don't you tell me again?_

_How you'll still be there when the heartache ends_

_But it's alright, why don't you tell me my friend?_

_How you'll still be there when the heartache ends_

_Rob Thomas – When the Heartache Ends_

_

* * *

_

_Four months later_

"I swear to God Don! If you don't make up your mind I'm going to beat the shit out of you with this baseball bat of yours!" Maggie yelled at Don's retreating figure. She had lost the coin-toss over who got to choose their room in the new apartment and was beginning to regret ever agreeing to the coin-toss in the first place.

"What are you two yelling about?" Abby said as she carried in another box. They had borrowed a truck from a friend to carry the small items and were waiting on the movers for their large items.

"He won't pick a fucking room! Can I just beat him?" Maggie asked as he came back out into the living room. "Did your majesty finally pick?"

"I'll take the one at the back of the apartment," he said, glaring at Maggie. "Although I'm not quite sure why I would willingly give you the larger bedroom with the attitude you have."

"The bigger…" Maggie trailed off and smiled up at him. "You're not all bad Flack, not all bad," she said before walking off towards her new bedroom.

"She's nuts you know," Don said looking at Abby.

"Certifiably," she agreed. "Help me get the last of the boxes?"

"Yeah, sure," he said following her out of the apartment, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

"She's just a little over excited," Abby said as they stepped into the elevator and made their way from the 16th floor back to the street.

"I know," Don said. After a few moments he continued. "She doesn't do that a lot does she?"

"Oh yeah, almost daily," Abby said laughing at his expression as she stepped out and made her way towards the truck. She looked back when he didn't follow and walked back to him. "I'm kidding Don. She's a fairly laid back person most of the time, you have to admit you are aggravating at times," she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the truck. Dropping his hand, she reached into the bed of the truck, grabbed a box, and handed it to him before grabbing one for herself.

"Not funny, Abigail," Don said in a stern voice. "You seriously had me rethinking giving up my own place. Besides, I am thirty-one," he said as he grabbed a plastic bag with his fingers, "Shouldn't I really be on my own?"

"Don," Abby said with a smile, "It's New York City. You aren't expected to live on your own until you're seventy-five. Besides, we promise not to salt your game," she said with a laugh. She glanced up and watched as two black Chevy Avalanche trucks pulled up across the street, her heart in her throat. She watched as people began to climb out before turning back towards the building. _What the fuck_, she thought, _a city of eight million and I still run into them?_ She looked back at Don who was watching the vehicles. "You coming?"

"Yeah, just a minute," he said setting down the box and bag.

Abby took one last glance, her eyes meeting Danny's as he stood in between Lindsay and another woman she hadn't met before. "That's fine. No rush," she turned away from him and walked back into the building.

Danny's heart beat faster the second his eyes fell on Abby's face. She was more beautiful than he had remembered. He wanted to call out her name, but he held back knowing that Lindsay was standing right beside him. He met Abby's eyes for a brief moment and the look of pain left him staggering. As she turned to walk away he looked down and the street quickly before turning back to the truck and pulling out his kit.

"Hey, what's going on?" Don asked from behind him.

"Neighbors found an old lady in her kitchen this morning," Lindsay said pointing at the building across 2nd Avenue. "So we're here."

Don was a bit surprised by the coldness in her voice but realized that while this situation was awkward for him, it was painful for her. He knew she understood that Danny was still impossibly in love with Abby and that was never easy to take.

Danny came back around the truck and looked across the street at the building. "So that's the new place huh?"

"Yeah," Don looked across the street and saw the moving truck pull up in the loading are. "Hey, I've got to go, that's our furniture, drinks later at Sullivans?" Don looked at Danny.

"Sure…I'll let you know when I'm off," Danny watched Don run across the street and with a sigh he turned to walk across the street in the other direction. "You ready?" he asked Lindsay who nodded. As they approached the other building, he glanced back across the intersection, ground his teeth when Abby walked back into view, and quickly followed Lindsay inside.

* * *

Maggie sat in the living room, soft light from candles highlighting her face. She was drinking a glass of wine, and looking out at the lights of the city. It was three in the morning, she was exhausted and could probably have been fast asleep in her bed, but she couldn't walk away from the view. The door opening and then closing behind her startled her and she looked over the back of the couch to see Don's figure come into full view.

"You scared me," she said quietly as she turned to face him.

"I didn't expect anyone to be awake," he said, setting his keys on a table near the fireplace. He walked over to where she was sitting, "Can I?" he asked gesturing towards the space next to her.

"Of course," she said moving over slightly to give him enough room. They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before she finally spoke. "I have lived here my entire life and I never get sick of the lights," she looked at his profile, "or the sounds."

"Me neither," he said looking over at her. "I think I'd go crazy if I was anywhere else," he toed off his shoes and leaned back, his hands behind his head. "Is Abby asleep?"

"I'm not sure," Maggie replied, pulling a blanket closer to her body, trying to stave off a chill. "She kind of just got up and went into her room, she didn't say much."

"She'll be okay," Don said. "She just needs a little time."

"Oh I know," Maggie replied finishing off her glass of wine. She smiled when Don reached out and refilled her glass with the remaining wine from the bottle. "Thanks," she leaned back again and paused for a minute, "I just wish I could help speed the process up."

"Yeah," Don said thinking back to his night out with Danny, "me too." He glanced over at her and without thinking, ran his hand down a strand of her hair. "You're hair is longer."

"Yeah," Maggie said, shocked that he'd noticed. "I was tired of it being short so I got extensions put in until it grows out itself."

"I like it," Don said, releasing the strand he had been holding. With one last glance at her he looked back out the window.

* * *

Abby sat on her bed, looking around her room. She had pretty much everything in place except for a few small boxes of knick-knacks and photos. She stood up, walked over to a box on her dresser, and opened it. Staring up at her were pictures, some of which were of her and Danny. She pulled out the frames filled with pictures of friends and family before closing up the box and carrying it over to her closet. She would keep them, she figured, but she didn't want to be constantly reminded of him.

She looked in the mirror hanging over the dresser and studied herself. She had lost weight, which meant she was looking slightly on the emaciated side. She had dark circles under her eyes from a lack of sleep and her eyes stared back at her dull. She sighed and pulled her hair out of the ponytail it had been in all day and running a hand through the tangled strands, she moved back towards her pile of boxes.

She finished putting away what she could and glanced at the clock. She needed to go to sleep. She had school tomorrow and she needed to be focused for her presentation. She was two months shy of graduation and if everything went well she hoped to get the job, as a curator's assistant at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which she had applied for.

She turned off the light, crawled between the sheets of her bed, and turned to look out the windows at the city lights. She thought about seeing Danny earlier that day and suddenly felt the frustration and pain bubble up to the surface. She pulled the blankets up to her shoulders and buried her face into her hands. She couldn't hold back the sobs any longer as the tears slid down her cheeks.

* * *

Maggie walked past Abby's bedroom door as she walked with Don towards their rooms and she stopped to hear if she was still awake. Through the wood, she could hear Abby crying and her heart broke. She turned to look at Don who was frowning.

"I'm going to go in and see if there's anything I can do," she said, placing her hand on the doorknob.

"Alright," Don replied, scratching the back of his head. "I'm just gonna head off to bed. I've got to work tomorrow."

"Sleep well Don," Maggie said quietly as she slipped through Abby's door.

"Yeah, you too," Don replied before she shut the door. Taking one last look, he walked to the end of the hallway and into his room, shutting the door behind him.

Maggie crossed the room and her eyes landed on Abby's form curled up in a ball on the bed. She walked slowly up to the bed, not wanting to frighten her and she slid beneath the blankets. Abby raised her head and looked at her.

"I miss him Maggie," she whispered, attempting to wipe away some of the tears.

"I know you do sweetheart," Maggie opened her arms and Abby moved into her embrace. "It's going to be alright though…someday it will be alright," Abby moved to rest her head on Maggie's shoulder and Maggie rested her head on top of hers. "You did the right thing."

Abby nodded her head quietly as she closed her eyes and willed the tears to stop.

* * *

**A/N: Well, here is the next chapter. It's a bit shorter than the others, but I struggled with it for some reason and thought that it was a good place to stop this chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, your kind words (well mostly) were very appreciated and I hope that you continue to enjoy this STORY. To the person who disliked the story/last chapter, thank you for your input, even though I don't really believe that you will read this. I do think that your comments are a bit misguided however. The purpose of fanfiction is that it is fan written and can be whatever the "author" wants it to be. So, if I think that Danny should be with someone other than Lindsay, I can do that. So please, keep in mind that while we all love these characters, they are just that, characters. They aren't real people. Carmine and Anna aren't really together in true life, and you know what? It'll all be okay. Anyway, sorry for that.......enjoy and please read and review :) Even if they are negative comments I would love to hear from you. I just ask that you open your mind, expand your horizons, and welcome diversity.**


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